Darwin, 17 August 2024: Muhammad Irfan Khan registered his maiden T20 century as Pakistan Shaheens beat Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Comets by 91-runs in their last league game on Saturday in the Top End T20 series at the DXC Arena in Darwin.
With this win, Shaheens secured top position on the points table with five wins in six games and have qualified for the semi-finals along with Adelaide Strikers, Bangladesh ‘A’ and Northern Territory Strike.
Defending a huge total of 202 runs, the Shaheens made light work of ACT Comets batting line-up as they were bundled out for a mere 111 in 16.1 overs. Mubasir Khan dismissed opening batters, Esam Rahman (9, 4b, 2x4s), Nicholas Broes (3, 7b) early while Arafat got rid of Michael Mcnamara (5, 3b) reducing the ACT Comets to 24-3 in 3.1 overs.
Tyler van Luin (29, 17b, 4x4s, 1x6) and Zak Keogh (26, 20b, 2x4s, 1x6) looked threatening as the duo added 49 runs for fourth-wicket off just five overs but fell in the ninth and tenth over respectively with the scorecard reading 79-5.
ACT Comets lost their next five wickets for just 32 runs as the Shaheens spinners ran riot taking all ten wickets. Arif Yaqoob bagged figures of 4-36 while Arafat dismissed three batters. Mubasir had two wickets to his name while Faisal Akram picked up one.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pakistan Shaheens lost their opening batters, Abdul Faseeh (8, 3b, 2x4s) and Mohammad Haris (15, 13b, 2x4s) in the first and fourth over, respectively. Omair Bin Yousuf (7, 6b, 1x4) and Usman Khan (5, 5b) were the other Shaheens wickets to fall in subsequent overs as they stood 48-4 at the end of the field restrictions.
At this point, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Haseebullah joined forces to take Shaheens out of trouble. The duo put on a mammoth 140-run fifth-wicket partnership off 13 overs.
Irfan struck a brilliant century scoring 106 off 56 balls clubbing 14 fours and two sixes before departing in the 19th over. Haseebullah remained unbeaten for 49 which came off 34 balls hitting four boundaries and a solitary six.
Shaheens posted 202-6 in the allotted 20 overs as Hanno Jacobs took two wickets for ACT Comets while Zak Keogh, Tyler Hays, Esam Rahman and Jake Smith picked one wicket each.
Semi-finals
Pakistan Shaheens vs Adelaide Strikers at DXC Arena (5.30am PKT)
NT Strike vs Bangladesh ‘A’ at TIO Stadium (5.30am PKT)
Final - TBD vs TBD - Tomorrow
