MUZAFFARABAD, Mirpur Royals won the super over thriller against Kotli Lions to keep themselves in the race of the qualification for the playoffs while Ahsan Ali’s 99 runs knock went in vain as Kotli Lions were knocked out of the tournament by the Royals on late Wednesday.
Lions had tied the game against Royals but failed to score big in the super-over, giving Malik an easy chance to keep his team in the hunt fot the qualification for playoffs.
Kotli Lions won the toss and elected to bat first against in an important game where teams placed at the bottom of the table were going to face each other.
Sharjeel Khan (12) lost his wicket early on but a 99 runs stand between Mukhtar Ahmad and Mohammad Akhlaq gave a fair chance to the next batters to play freely.
Mukhtar Ahmad scored 61 off 38 while Akhlaq also played a 45 runs inning. Shoaib Malik contributed with his 28 off 19 but it was Khushdil Shah who had a different day asthenia left-hander played a fabulous knock of 41 off 13 in the death overs, helping Royals post 211 on the board. Mujtaba Ghayyas got two wickets for 23.
Kotli Lions got off to a positive start as the team had reached 31 for none by the third over but in-form Salman Irshad came up with two breakthroughs. Ahsan Ali and Hasan Raza produced a 56 runs partnership before Hasan Raza lost his wicket for 34 in the 9th over of the innings.
Salman Irshad came back for another spell and dismissed dangerous Asif Ali for just two runs to make the chase difficult for Royals but Ahsan Ali was in the form of his life in the game as he kept on punishing every bowler, helping his side reach 150 in the 14th over.
Ammad Butt brought Royals back in the game by dismissing both Saif Badar (22) and Khalid Usman (zero) in the 14th over.
Ahsan Ali played a superb knock of 99 off 47, hitting 10 fours and 6 sixes. Shadab Majeed dismissed Ahsan in the 18th over but some contributions of the lower order batsmen helped Lions stay in the game.
Ghayyas tried to take a run off the last ball when Lions needed just one on the last ball but he got run out to tie the game, bringing the game to the super-over.
Kotli Lions lost two wickets for just 2 in the super-over. In reply, Malik went for a four on the very first ball of the super-over.
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