Afghanistan Premier League (APL) 2018: Balkh Legends enter semifinal with win over Paktia Panthers

Balkh Legends entered the semifinal of the Afghanistan Premier League after beating Paktia Panthers by 89 runs. 

Balkh Legends posted 195 for 8 through Ryan ten Doeschate’s half-century. England allrounder Ravi Bopara (3/17) helped Legends bowl out Panthers for a meagre 106. 

Batting first, Legends lost Chris Gayle early for 12. However, Colin Munro helped bring up the half-century in the seventh over. Munro was dismissed by Sikander Raza as Legends reached 73 runs after 10 overs. 

Darwish Rasooli then upped the ante with a 28-ball 44. RTD and Bopara then added 45 runs off 28 balls as the Legends collected 128 in the final 10. 

In reply, Mohammad Shahzad and Rahmanullah Gurbaz started well for the Panthers, adding 31 inside three overs before Aftab Alam struck to remove the Pakistan batsman. His dismissal, however, had no bearing on Gurbaz’s approach, who tonked four sixes to score 33 off 22. His dismissal meant that Panthers were three down for 69, after which Legends triggered a middle and lower order collapse.

Bopara led from the front as the Legends pulled things back in the middle overs. Qais Ahmed and Mirwais Ashraf maintained the pressure along with Bopara. From 72 for three, they slipped to 77 for seven with Raza, Calum McLeod and Samiullah Shenwari falling cheaply. They picked up wickets in regular intervals to prevent Panthers from attaining any kind of momentum and bowled them out inside 16 overs.