APL 2018, Match 20, Kabul Zwanan vs Paktia Panthers, Review: Skipper Shahzad fires Panthers to an easy win

Kabul and Paktia will once again be in action on Saturday to clash for a spot in the final.

Published - 19 Oct 2018, 10:47 IST | Updated - 19 Oct 2018, 10:47 IST

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The group stages are done and dusted and it was fitting that they came to a close with the blitz of Mohammad Shahzad. The Paktia Panthers sealed the second spot on the table with this win and once again will be facing Kabul Zwanan on Saturday in the second semifinal.

The danger men Hazratullah Zazai and Luke Ronchi were dismissed very early in the innings. Isuru Udana sent them back in the very first over and the Panthers were off to a flying start. Wayne Parnell, surprisingly, was sent to bat at number 3 and the South African did a pretty good job.

Rashid Khan was rested for this game and Colin Ingram was the captain for Zwanan. He stitched a brilliant partnership with Parnell to propel the side into a decent position. Parnell was dismissed after he registered a 28-ball 42 and the duo added 70 runs for the third wicket.

Colin Ingram upped the ante further after his fifty and with the support of Shawkat Zaman, they ended up notching an above par 168 runs on the board. The South African remained unbeaten on 83 off 51 balls whilst Isuru Udana chipped in with an impressive spell of 2/33.

Shahzad and Afridi guide the Panthers home

Mohammad Shahzad once again provided his side with a breathtaking start. Ihsanullah Janat was taken off the field and Calum MacLeod came to replace him after the former was hit on the wrist off Ali Khan’s short delivery.

MacLeod and Shahzad kept hammering the bowlers and the scorecard was moving briskly. Shahzad completed yet another fifty this season and after adding 53 runs with the Scottish batsman, he departed. Hazratullah Zazai took a stunning catch at mid-wicket and helped them dismiss the danger man.

Calum MacLeod and Seekkuge Prasanna got dismissed a little while later, pushing the Panthers to 117/3 in 14 overs. Then came a very special knock from one of the legends of the game, Shahid Afridi. The Pakistani all-rounder spanked the ball with disdain and registered a quickfire unbeaten 30.

His innings helped the side register a six-wicket win with two balls remaining. It was not an ideal way to finish the group stages for Kabul, but this was a decent performance despite not having their talisman Rashid Khan in the side.