Shahzad sparkles for Faisalabad in Superstars T20

A spectacular all-round performance by Ahmed Shahzad helped Yas Sports Faisalabad Rangers defeat G Force Singapore Strikers by 51 runs in Group B of the Superstars T20 cricket tournament at the Fairground Oval of the Dubai Men’s College.

The tournament is conducted by Dubai Cricket Council (DCC) and supported by Web Channel with Yas Sports and Saaiba Restaurant as support sponsors.

Shahzad blasted 87 from 38 balls which was laced with seven sixes and nine boudnaries to guide Faisalabad to 195 for 3 from 20 overs and later grabbed four for 14 to restrict Singapore to 144 for 8 and walk away with the Man of the Match award.

Openers Shahzad and Naveed Shah (28) posted 125 after they opted to bat first.

Shahzad departed after a power-packed 87 but Fawad Khan continued the assault with an unbeaten 46 from 27 balls which included a six and four boundaries.

Singapore’s chase began on a positive note with Zamin Jaleel and Salman Babar posting 81.

But once Tanzil Altaf got Jaleel and one-drop batsman Shorye Chopra in successive delivers, their innings crumbled.

Salman tried to keep his team in the fray with a solid 60 from 39 balls (6x6, 3x4) and Sathya Ramesh chipped in with 26 but failed to prevent Singapore from sliding to defeat.

It was their first loss from two played, while Faisalabad won their second match from three played.

The group is wide open as apart from these two teams Alubond Hyderabad Nawabs too have a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals with two wins from two played but Calicut Tigers supported by Du are out having lost all their three matches.
 
Brief scores:

Yas Sports Faisalabad Rangers beat G Force Singapore Strikers by 51 runs
 
Faisalabad Rangers 195 for 3 in 20 overs (Ahmed Shahzad 87, Fawad Khan 46 no, Naveed Shah 28; Salman Babar 1-29, Zeeshan Durani 1-29, Zahoor Farooqui 1-40) Singapore Strikers 144 for 8 in 20 overs (Salman Babar 60, Zamin Jaleel 28, Sathya Ramesh 26; Ahmed Shahzad 4-14, Tanzil Altaf 2-18, Saeed Mohammed 1-25). Man of the match: Ahmed Shahzad of Faisalabad Rangers.