Times Of Swaziland: ESWATINI BEAT ST HELENA BY 48 RUNS

ESWATINI BEAT ST HELENA BY 48 RUNS
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Melusi Mkhabela on 26/11/2024 08:14:00


MBABANE – The Eswatini Men’s National Cricket Team has secured their first
victory in the Africa Sub-Regional Qualifiers C, currently taking place in
Nigeria.
In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifiers C, Eswatini
triumphed over Saint Helena by 48 runs. The encounter unfolded at the NCF Pitch
in Abuja, Nigeria, where Eswatini faced Saint Helena in their second match of
the tournament. The match commenced promptly at 1:50pm and concluded with a
thrilling finish for Eswatini, showcasing some outstanding individual
performances. Eswatini started their innings with a bang, racing to 50 runs in
just six overs, aided by the explosive batting of Adil Butt. Butt was in
sensational form, scoring a brilliant 50 runs off 29 balls, which included five
boundaries and two sixes. His aggressive knock set the tone for the innings and
provided the momentum that Eswatini needed.
progressed
As the innings progressed, Eswatini continued to build on their solid start,
reaching 101 runs in 12.3 overs. The fourth-wicket partnership was particularly
noteworthy, contributing 55 runs in just 24 balls, with Adil Butt adding 29 runs
off 11 balls and Minhaz Khojbariya supporting with 23 runs off 13 balls. The
team’s extras also contributed six runs to their growing total. Eswatini
eventually finished their innings at 173 runs for nine wickets in 20 overs, with
Minhaz Khojbariya leading the way with a commendable 46 runs. The innings
wrapped up at 3:22pm, taking a total of 92 minutes. Following a brief innings
break, during which the teams regrouped and strategised, Saint Helena began
their chase at 3:31pm.
They started steadily, reaching 50 runs in 7.1 overs, with contributions from
Scott Crowie, who scored 16 runs off 21 balls, and Andrew Yon, who scored 24
runs off 23 balls. The extras in this phase accounted for 10 runs. As the
innings unfolded, Saint Helena managed to reach 100 runs in 16.3 overs, with
Scott Crowie showcasing his skill by scoring 52 runs off 47 balls, including
four fours and a six. Despite their efforts, Saint Helena struggled to keep up
with the required run rate. Ultimately, Saint Helena finished their innings at
125 runs for five wickets in 20 overs, falling short of the target set by
Eswatini.
helped
The standout performer of the match was Adil Butt from Eswatini, whose explosive
batting not only helped his team set a formidable total, but also earned him the
Player of the Match accolade. Eswatini’s victory over Saint Helena was marked
by a blend of aggressive batting and strategic bowling, positioning them
strongly in the tournament.Meanwhile, in accordance with the tournament
programme, yesterday was a rest day for all six nations.