ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 - Day 4 - Round Up

A career-best knock from Gareth Delany helped Ireland get their ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier challenge back on track as they defeated Oman by 35 runs in Abu Dhabi. Ireland had lost their previous game against the UAE but showed no signs of feeling the pressure as Delany’s unbeaten 89 guided his country to 183 for three from their 20 overs.

He then chipped in with two wickets, with George Dockrell and Mark Adair also taking a couple each, to restrict Oman to 148 for nine in their reply as Khawar Ali top-scored with 50. Elsewhere in Group B, UAE followed up their success against Ireland with a dominant eight-wicket triumph against winless Hong Kong to secure back-to-back victories.

A middle-order collapse from Hong Kong saw them finish on 116 for seven, having been 93 for two in the 16th over, before Rameez Shahzad’s half-century helped UAE to their target with 29 balls to spare. But it was Canada who finished the day on top of Group B after beating Nigeria by 50 runs for their second win as Nitish Kumar followed up his 83 against Jersey with an unbeaten half-century.

In Group A, Josh Davey held his nerve at the death to take two wickets in the final over as Scotland edged past PNG by four runs after setting a target of 147, for successive victories. Kenya also achieved their opening win of the competition at the third time of asking with a 45-run triumph over Bermuda thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 85 from Dhiren Gondaria.

Gondaria’s effort ensured Kenya reached 138 for four from their 20 overs before Collins Obuya took four for 27 with the ball as Bermuda were knocked over for just 93 in reply as their ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier campaign continues to be a troubled one.

Here’s the Day 4 round-up of the tournament:

Scotland edge PNG in a thriller by four runs

Scotland recorded their second win of the tournament as Hamza Tahir’s early wickets (three for 24) and Josh Davey’s final over burst (two for 23) helped Kyle Coetzer’s side end PNG’s 11-match T20I unbeaten run – winning by four runs in a dramatic encounter.

Chasing 147 to win, Norman Vanua’s 33 including three boundaries off the penultimate over left PNG needing eight from six balls to win but Davey struck with the first two balls and conceded only four runs from the final over as Scotland restricted PNG to 142 for nine. Coetzer had earlier hit 54 and was joined later on in the innings by Matthew Cross, who smacked an unbeaten 23-ball 40 to help Scotland recover from 80 for four to post 146 for six from 20 overs.

UAE demolish Hong Kong by eight wickets

UAE made it two wins in a row as Rameez Shahzad’s 54 from 37 balls guided the hosts to their target of 117 from 15.1 overs against Hong Kong. Rohan Mustafa (two for 17) and Waheed Ahmed (two for 23) combined as Hong Kong collapsed from 93 for two to 116 for seven from 20 overs, Nizakat Khan (31) and Kinchit Shah (30) inspiring the promising start which failed to materialise into a big score.

Shahzad shared in a second wicket stand of 93 with Chirag Suri (44 not out) and hit six fours and three sixes as only Kyle Christie (two for 24) could offer any resistance.

Ireland overpower Oman by 35 runs

Ireland returned to winning ways as Gareth Delany starred with bat and ball as he hit his own career-best T20I score of 89 not out, the highest score of the competition, as well as taking two wickets for 29 runs to down Oman. Despite losing Paul Stirling for just 11, Delany joined Kevin O’Brien in sending Oman’s bowlers to all parts as he smashed nine fours and three sixes in his 49-ball effort – Ireland finishing on 183 for three from 20 overs.

Oman’s chase started positively enough and Khawar Ali’s 50 from 34 balls gave them hope of an unlikely win until Delany and George Dockrell (two for 24) spun their way through the top and middle order and Mark Adair (two for 26) returned to polish off the tail as Oman ended their 20 overs on 148 for nine.

Kenya prove too much for Bermuda by 45 runs

Kenya recorded their first win of the competition thanks to Dhiren Gondaria’s career-best T20I score of 85 not out from 67 balls as their total of 138 for four proved too good for Bermuda. Gondaria played a lone hand as he hit six fours and one six to steer Kenya’s innings, only Kamau Leverock managing to stem the tide ever so slightly with his two wickets for 30 runs.

The chase got off to the worse possible start when Okera Bascome was caught off the bowling of Elijah Otieno to the first ball of the innings and despite Delray Rawlins’ quickfire 37, Bermuda never recovered as Collins Obuya claimed four for 27 to bowl them out for 93.

Canada defeat gritty Nigeria by 50 runs

Nitish Kumar’s unbeaten fifty ensured Canada maintained their perfect start to the tournament as they saw off a stubborn Nigeria side by 50 runs for their second win from two games. Kumar was the backbone of his side’s innings, smashing 57 runs from 36 balls, before being assisted by a late cameo from Hamza Tariq (33) as Canada posted 159 for seven from 20 overs.

Dillon Heyliger then took three for 16 with the ball to reduce Nigeria to 109 for eight in reply despite the best efforts of Chimezie Onwuzulike (39) and Sulaimon Runsewe (27).

Brief Scores of ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier

Scotland beat PNG by four runs, ICC Academy, Dubai

Scotland 146-6, 20 overs (Kyle Coetzer 54, Matthew Cross 40 not out, Richie Berrington 22; Norman Vanua 1-14, Assad Vala 1-21 Damien Ravu 1-11)

PNG 142-9, 20 overs (Norman Vanua 33, Lega Siaka 31, Assad Vala 20; Hamza Tahir 3-24, Josh Davey 2-23, Mark Watt 2-23, Safyaan Sharif 2-32)

UAE beat Hong Kong by eight wickets, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Hong Kong 116-7, 20 overs (Nizakat Khan 31, Kinchit Shah 30; Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Waheed Ahmed 2-23)

UAE 118-2, 15.1 overs (Rameez Shahzad 54, Chirag Suri 44 not out; Kyle Christie 2-24)

Ireland beat Oman by 35 runs, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi

Ireland 183-3, 20 overs (Gareth Delany 89 not out, Kevin O’Brien 41, Harry Tector 28; Khawar Ali 1-28, Mohammad Nadeem 1-29)

Oman 148-9, 20 overs (Khawar Ali 50, Suraj Kumar 16; George Dockrell 2-24, Mark Adair 2-26, Gareth Delany 2-29)

Kenya beat Bermuda by 45 runs, ICC Academy, Dubai

Kenya 138-4, 20 overs (Dhiren Gondaria 85 not out, Irfan Karim 15, Rushab Patel 15 not out; Kamau Leverock 2-30)

Bermuda 93 all out, 18.5 overs (Delray Rawlins 37, Janeiro Tucker 22; Collins Obuya 4-27, Shem Ngoche 2-15, Rakep Patel 2-18)

Canada beat Nigeria by 50 runs, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Canada 159-7, 20 overs (Nitish Kumar 57 not out, Hamza Tariq 33, Rodrigo Thomas 18; Chima Akachukwu 2-34, Abiodun Abioye 2-26)

Nigeria 109-8, 20 overs (Chimezie Onwuzulike 39, Sulaimon Runsewe 27; Dillon Heyliger 3-16, Saad Bin Zafar 2-25, Nikhil Dutta 1-23)