Mafooz Ilahi’s knock of 85 and Mudasir Wani’s four-wicket spell ensures Valley Boyz a 63-runs win over UAE Champions in the Sharjah Ramadan Cup T20 tournament

By K.R. Nayar

Valley Boyz’s opener Mafooz Ilahi cracked an unbeaten 85 to steer his team to a whopping total of 208 for 7 in 20 overs against UAE Champions. Through a splendid four wicket spell, Mudasir Wani then went on to restrict UAE Champions to 145 for 9 in 20 overs and ensure Valley Boyz an emphatic 63-runs victory in the 17th match of the 34th Sharjah Ramadan Cup T20 tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.


Mafooz Ilahi and Mudasir Wani shine in Vallley Boyz’s win

Valley Boyz won the toss and elected to bat. They lost their opener Mohsen Mattoo trapped leg before by Noor for 1. This was followed by a 54 runs partnership between opener Mafooz Ilahi and Usman Pandith for the second wicket. Usman Pandith got clean bowled to Manish Chauhan for 32. Mudasir Wani provided support to Mafooz Ilahi and took the score to 87 when Wani got caught behind by wicketkeeper Jeet Buttar off Rehan Khan for 4. A 48-runs partnership followed between Mafooz Ilahi and Danish Ahmad before Danish fell, trapped leg before by Noor for 30.

Mafooz Ilahi continued to swell the total and at the score of 180, Ilahi’s fine knock of 85 came to an end when he fell to Rajesh M. His knock off 46 balls had eight boundaries and four sixes. Five runs later, skipper Saqib Amin got trapped leg before to Rehan Khan for 1. Musa Benazir and Hemayun Bazaz steered the total past the 200 run mark before Benazir got out clean bowled to Noor for 14. Hemayun Bazaz remained unbeaten on 30 and Valley Boyz went on to post a total of 208 for 7 in 20 overs.


Chasing the huge total, UAE Champions began well with openers Jeet Buttar and Zohaib Haider putting on 39 runs in 4.5 overs. Buttar then fell to Mudasir Wani for 16. Thereafter, UAE Champions could not maintain the momentum that was needed to chase such a big target. Opener Zohaib Haider too fell to Mudasir Wani for 22. Mudasir Wani also got Haroon Altaf out for a duck. Rehan Khan was trapped leg before by Wani for a duck.

Skipper Manish Chauhan pushed the score to 60 but got run out for 10. Tanishq Arora too got run out for 3. Sudarshan held on to take the score to 100 before falling to Samir Manzoor for 34.  Vivesh became the third batter to get run out for 6. Rachit Rai got out to the fifth ball of the last over from Musa Benazir for a duck. Rajesh remained unbeaten on 38. Mudasir Wani returned with figures of 4 for 30 and UAE Champions got restricted to 145 for 9 in 20 overs.

Brief scores:
Valley Boyz bt UAE Champions by 63 runs. Valley Boyz 208 for 7 in 20 overs (Mafooz Ilahi 85, Usman Pandith 32, Danish Ahmad 30, Hemayun Bazaz 30n.o, Noor 3 for 28, Rehan Khan 2 for 38)  UAE Champions 145 for 9 in 20 overs (Zohaib Haider 22, Sudarshan 34, Rajesh 38n.o, Mudasir Wani 4 for 30)
Player of the Match: Mafooz Ilah

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