Mahipar Stars (266) comprehensively went past the Hindukush Strikers (128 & 115) by an innings and 23 runs to maintain their top spot in the table and qualify for the final of the tournament, alongside the Hindukush Strikers, who finished second despite an innings defeat.
Mahipar Stars won the toss and opted to bowl first. The decision proved
to be too good, as they bowled the Strikers out for 128 runs in the first
innings. Muhibullah Zurmati (5/40), Hayatullah Noori (3/56), and Wahidullah
Zadran (2/23) shared the wickets among them.
The stand-in captain for the Stars, Nasir Jamal, stepped up with the
bat and scored a crucial 96-run knock, who was also supported by Azizullah
Miakhil (31) and Riaz Hassan (28), as they posted 266 runs on the board in
their first batting outing, taking a lead of 138 runs. Izharulhaq Naveed (3/49)
and Sayed Shirzad (3/63) picked up three wickets each, whereas Muslim Musa
(2/55) and Nasratullah Nooristani (2/84) grabbed two wickets each for the
strikers.
The Hindukush Strikers, once again, didn’t capitalize on their batting
as they only managed to score 115 runs in their second batting inning, falling
short by an innings and 23 runs in the end. The show was yet again stolen by
the Stars’ bowling lineup, which saw Naseer Khan Maroofkhil (4/33), Muhibullah
Zurmati (2/23), Abuzar Safi (2/24), and Hayatullah Noori (2/35) stand tall with
the ball in hand, helping their team to register a massive victory ahead of the
final.
Muhibullah Zurmati was awarded the Player of the Match for his total of
7 wickets in the game.
The final of the tournament will begin on October 4 at the Ghazi
Amanullah Khan Cricket Ground in Nangarhar, which will be a rematch of this
specific encounter that ended within two days.