Toronto Nationals cantered themselves to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Vancouver Knights in the opening match of the Global T20 Canada 2024 at Brampton’s CAA Centre on Thursday, July 25.
For Vancouver Knights, captain and opening batter Usman Khawaja failed to get going as he was dismissed by Jason Behrendorff in just the second over of the match. Reeza Hendricks and number three Munir Ahmad top-scored with identical 23-run knocks to take the Knights to 45/1 at the halfway stage of the innings.
Despite entering the second half of the innings with nine wickets in hand, runs dried up for the Vancouver Knights, owing to a dramatic middle-order collapse. Leg-spinner Junaid Siddiqui picked up three wickets in the space of just four deliveries to tilt the tide back in Toronto Nationals' favor in the 11th over.
Saad Bin Zafar also struck twice in one over as Vancouver Knights slipped to 62/6 in just four overs. Siddiqui returned to claim the final wicket on offer to finish with figures of 4/25 as the entire Knights line-up crumbled out for 110.
Chasing a measly target of 111, Toronto Nationals opener Colin Munro top-scored with 44 runs from 39 balls and shared a cracking 41-run stand with opening partner Unmukt Chand (run-a-ball 23). While a well-set Unmukt was trapped in front by Sandeep Lamichhane, Munro was cleaned up by Paul van Meekeren at the brink of the finishing line.
Regardless, unbeaten Rassie van der Dussen (31* off 18 balls) and Nicholas Kirton mopped up the remaining runs with 5.2 overs and eight wickets to spare.
Global T20 Canada Most Runs List
Colin Munro top-scored on the opening day of action with 44 runs from 39 balls to lead the run-scoring charts of the tournament. Rassie van der Dussen blazed to an 18-ball 31* towards the end to find himself positioned at number two. Reeza Hendricks, Unmukt Chand, and Munir Ahmad cracked 23 runs each in the match to occupy the next three slots on the top 10 list.
Dwaine Pretorious (16 runs), Sandeep Lamichhane (15 runs), Yuvraj Samra (14 runs), Paul van Meekeren (12 runs), and Nicholas Kirton (4 runs) round up the remaining five batters on the standings.
Global T20 Canada 2024 Most Wickets List
Toronto Nationals spinner Junaid Siddiqui picked up figures of 4/25 to top the leaders board in terms of wickets. He is followed by teammates Saad Bin Jafar and Muhammad Rohid with two wickets each to their credit.
Jason Behrendorff and Vancouver Knights bowlers Sandeep Lamichhane and Paul van Meekeren all picked up a wicket each to take the next three positions on the bowling standings.
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