CWCQ Warm-Ups Day One: Star Performers
Key Performer: Dawlat Zadran (AFG)
Afghanistan had to recover from the depths to register an eventual 29-run win. First with the bat the managed to post a total of 163/9 having been 71/8 at one stage, thanks to a 91-run ninth-wicket partnership. And then with the ball, defending a DLS-adjusted 140, they reduced West Indies from 80/2 to 110 all out, with Dawlat Zadran’s hat-trick doing the bulk of the damage, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, and Carlos Brathwaite the batsmen to fall.
Key Performer: Paul van Meekeren (NED)
On another day Babar Hayat, Hong Kong’s captain, would have been a worthy choice as this game’s key performer – the next highest score after his 85 was Shahid Wasif’s 24, and he contributed more than half his side’s runs by himself. But it was the man who dismissed him who made the game’s decisive contribution. Aside from Hayat, he also removed two other members of Hong Kong’s top order and returned superb figures of 4/17 from nine overs, setting up a comfortable eight-wicket win.
Key Performer: Aarif Sheikh (NEP)
Nepal have been no stranger to tight finishes in recent times, with a series of last-ball and one-wicket victories marking their passage through WCL2 to this tournament, and this was yet another. The hero today was No. 7 Aarif Sheikh, who came in with 46 runs needed from six overs, which soon became 43 from five, and struck a cool 23 off 15 to see his side home.
Key Performer: Matthew Cross (SCO)
Making the only century of the day’s warm-up matches was Matthew Cross, who made the highest chase of a bowler-friendly day look easy. At first he was becalmed, taking 28 balls over his first six runs, before clearing the rope three times in his next 13 balls to ease any pressure. From there his innings was an exhibition in strike rotation, containing just six further boundaries but still coming at a healthy pace. With nine runs needed for victory, and seven for his hundred, he struck a six and a single before leaving his partner Craig Wallace to complete the formalities.