Twitter Reactions: Zahir Khan, Mackenzie Harvey take Melbourne Renegades to thrilling win

Melbourne Renegades defeated Adelaide Strikers by two runs in a close affair to kick-start their campaign in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2021-22. It was indeed a thrilling game with the proceedings going right down the wire. The Renegades didn’t really seem in a comfortable position, having posted 153/9 while batting first. However, the Strikers couldn’t cross the line and suffered a narrow defeat in their first assignment this season.

Earlier in the game, Melbourne Renegades won the toss and opted to bat at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. The track was on the slower side and shot-making wasn’t that easy. However, openers Sam Harper and Mackenzie Harvey embraced the challenge and attacked bowlers from the outset. The latter even went onto slam a well-compiled half-century. Coming to bat at number four, Jake Fraser also scored a quick-fire 23 to keep his side in command.

At 114/3, the Renegades looked all set for a fiery finish. However, inspiring spells from George Garton and skipper Peter Siddle brought the Strikers back in the hunt. The dup ran through Renegades’s lower-middle order as the batting suffered a shocking collapse. As a result, the Kane Richardson-led side was restricted to 153/9 despite a stellar start.

Zahir Khan delivered a match-winning spell

Chasing the tricky target, the Strikers got off to a decent start with Jake Weatherald , Matthew Short and Harry Nielsen delivering in the top-order. However, like Renegades, the Strikers’ middle-order also couldn’t come to the party. Left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan was the wrecker-in-chief for the Renegades. The Afghanistan international took three wickets in quick succession to put the game in their side’s favour.

While the Strikers lost wickets at regular intervals, some decent contributions from the lower-order kept them in the hunt. Daniel Drew and Rashid Khan played some impressive shots in the end overs as there seemed a twist in the tale. However, their efforts just didn’t prove to be enough. As a result, the Strikers were restricted to 151/8, losing the contest by two runs.

With this win, the Renegades have opened their account in the team standings and would like to extend this winning streak. On the other hand, the Peter Siddle-led side would be gutted with this defeat and would like to put up a better effort in their upcoming fixtures.

Meanwhile, let’s look at how Twitterati reacted to Melbourne Renegades’ thrilling win: