Doha, Qatar- Riding an impressive bowling performance, Qatar posted a fine four-wicket victory over Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the ACC Western Region Twenty20 Cricket Tournament in Muscat, Oman on Monday.
Qatar’s Tamoor Sajjad, who snared three for 11 in his four-over spell with one maiden, was declared the man of the match.
Qatar Cricket Association President Yousef Jeham al Kuwari congratulated the national team on a strong start and the superb victory over bitter rivals Saudi Arabia.
“We are extremely pleased with the national team’s splendid four-wicket triumph in the opening match in the ACC Western Region T20 in Oman and that too over Saudi Arabia. We hope that the Qatar team will keep improving its performance and continue to win matches. We wish more successes to the team,” Mr Kuwari added in his statement.
The decision to put Saudi Arabia in to bat first by Qatar skipper Inam-Ul-Haq was justified as Noman Sarwar dealt out two quick blows. Saudi Arabia, from two down for eight in two overs, could never recover and folded up at 126 off the final ball.
The Saudi collapse was accelerated Sajjad who removed three more players to have the rivals struggling at five for 39. Saudi opener sought to repair the damage to some extent through opener Sajid Imran Cheema. He smashed two sixes and two fours in his 41-ball 47.
After Cheema was ninth out at 88, Muhammad Adnan offered a spirited rearguard resistance and collected 38 not out with four sixes and two boundaries. His 15-ball effort helped the team reach 126. Iqbal Hussain Chaudhry also grabbed three wickets, while Inam-Ul-Haq and Muhammad Nadeem shared two wickets.
Qatar also suffered an early setback as they lost Kamran Khan for six. They however responded to it with an addition of 47 runs through the second-wicket stand shared by Faisal Javed Khan and Zaheeruddeen Ibrahim, who hit 21 with two sixes and a four in 18 balls.
The winners experienced a mini slump after Khan went out for a brisk 26-ball 43, which included eight hits to the fence, and they lost three more players in quick succession. But Mohammed Tanveer and Noman Sarwar held the innings together to see Qatar home in 15.3 overs.
Tanveer blasted two sixes and three fours to collect 33 not out off 18 balls, while Sarwar’s unbeaten 11 had two fours.
Muhammad Nadeem had three four 16, while Ibrar-Ul Haq, Faizal Khan and Usman Ali bagged one wicket apiece.
Qatar will next take on Kuwait on Tuesday.
Brief scores
Qatar beat Saudi Arabia by four wickets
Saudi Arabia: 126 all out in in 20 overs (Sajid Imran Cheema 43, Muhammad Adnan 38; Noman Sarwar 2/16, Tamoor Sajjad 3/11, Muhammad Nadeem 1/43, Inam-Ul-Haq 1/13, Iqbal Hussain Chaudhry 3/26)
Qatar: 126 for seven in 15.3 overs (Faisal Javed Khan 43, Zaheeruddeen Ibrahim 21, Mohammad Tanveer 33 runs , Noman Sarwar 11 not out; Ibrar-Ul Haq 1/23, Usman Ali 1/21, Muhammad Nadeem 3/16, Faizal Khan 1/21)
Man of the match: Tamoor Sajjad (Qatar)
