Latif steers Wolves to 20:20 glory
Source -
cricket20.com
Naveed Latif played a true captain’s innings to guide the Faisalabad Wolves to a magnificent triumph in the inaugural International 20:20 Club Championship at Grace Road.
Naveed Latif played a true captain’s innings to guide the Faisalabad Wolves to a magnificent triumph in the inaugural International 20:20 Club Championship at Grace Road.
The Pakistan star kept a cool nerve in the Wolves’ run chase and finished the game off in style with a six over long on as they overcame the Chilaw Marians with eleven balls to spare in the final.
Latif hit two sixes in his unbeaten 45 made off 33 deliveries and defied a fightback led by Nimesh Perara, who gained significant turn with his leg spinners to claim three victims.
The Wolves had appeared to be coasting to their victory target of 133 as they reached 96-2 with little trouble, Mohammad Hafeez stroking six fours in his 31 while Asif Hussain supported him well.
But it was when Perara dismissed Hussain, Ijaz Ahmed and Mohammad Salman in quick succession that the Wolves’ nerves began to jangle a little under the Grace Road floodlights.
Latif, scorer of a One Day International hundred for Pakistan, showed the quality that earned him international recognition, his nerve as cool as the chilly Autumn weather to see his side home.
Bowlers had maintained a tight stranglehold on the strokemakers as the Chilaw Marians posted a modest total of 132.
The flamboyant Sri Lankan batsmen struggled to break the shackles with only Nimesh Perara scoring freely in his innings of 37 off 33 deliveries to help his side pass three figures.
That had looked an unlikely prospect as the Marians lost early wickets, but Perara shared a stand of 36 with Hasantha Fernando to steer give them a degree of respectability.
Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was the pick of the Faisalabad Wolves bowlers with 2-25 and he dismissed Perara and Fernando in quick succession.
The Marians’ cause wasn’t helped in the closing stages by two run outs and they failed to bat out their 20 overs again.
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