Tigers revel on field but falter with bat

Hyderabad: Kolkata Tigers’ squandered a great opportunity to put it beyond Lahore Badshahs in the second edition of the Indian Cricket League’s Twenty20 tourney at Lal Bahadur Stadium (Fateh Maidan), Hyderabad.

Badshahs continued their splendid run in the tournament winning the game by 22 runs.

Chasing 153, Tigers started dreadfully losing four wickets in as many overs with 11 on the board. It was obvious that the net run-rate, and not win, would be Tigers’ priority from thereon.

Rohan Gavaskar, who smashed a 45-ball 46, had set himself for a final assault. But he and Craig McMillan, who contributed 30, consumed a lot of overs to get the innings back on the rails.

The two were involved in a spirited 48-run stand but they were always going to struggle to keep up with the asking rate.

Subhomoy Das’ may not be able to bring himself to see the footage of his dismissal. The opener perished trying to clip a straight ball off Azhar Mahmood outside the off-stump — a needless shot given that he hadn’t even got his eye in.

Two overs later Abhishek Jhunjhunwala was pouched at slip (off Mahmood again, who else?) for a blob.

Badshahs virtually sealed the match when the contagion spread to Lance Klusener who tried to club Mohammad Sami only to find his timber in ruins.

Deep Dasgupta has had a quiet tournament with the bat. It didn’t change when he ran himself out for two going for a cheeky single.

Badshahs fielded zealously and not for once allowed the match to drift. Spinners Arshad Khan and Mushtaq Ahmed, who led the side, gave nothing away in the middle-overs.

A late blitz by Andre Adams and Upul Chandana must have kept the crowd in good humour, for the fate of the match had been sealed long back.