The Taiwan Dragons yesterday entered the semi-finals of the Taipei T10 Cricket Tournament with two wins at the Yingfeng Cricket Ground before a thunderstorm halted play.
The Dragons downed the Hsinchu Titans in a low-scoring and contentious encounter before rolling over the Taiwan Daredevils.
Earlier yesterday, the Taipei City Government endorsed the tournament, with spokesman Chen Kuan-ting visiting in the morning as the temperature soared.
Photo courtesy of Ashish Purswaney @ashish_747
Chen said that Taipei’s progress amid the COVID-19 pandemic “is being recognized globally — and today’s event is proof of our strength and success.”
“All around the world, countries are closed and sports are postponed, but Taiwan is the first nation to hold cricket competitions this year,” he said.
“This is our gift to the world. We want to give hope — a glimpse into what our post-lockdown future could look like. Today’s games are a taste of what our ‘new normal’ could be,” he said.
“Schools are open, our businesses are operating, our public transportation system is running, and most importantly, our citizens are safe and healthy,” he added.
The sharing and caring attitude did not extend to the field as the Dragons insisted on a run out appeal against Vijay Kumar.
The batsman wandered down the wicket in the mistaken belief that the ball had reached the boundary from a wide and captain Marlan Samarasinghe directed his wicketkeeper to break the stumps with the batsmen mid-pitch, apparently unaware of the danger.
The Titans made 78 from their 10 overs and bowled their hearts out to reduce the team in yellow to 35-5 after five overs.
However, Rajiuddin Mohammad (38 not out) came in down the order to smack three fours and four sixes to wrap the match up with two overs to spare.
In the second match yesterday, the Dragons sealed their place in Sunday’s semi-finals by beating the Taiwan Daredevils.
They made 101-3 batting first, with Athula Senadena hitting 51, while George Klopper took 3-16.
The Daredevils made 91-4 in reply.
The Dragons are to play the losers of Saturday’s semi-final qualifier between the FCC Formosans and the TCA Indians.
The final match between the Daredevils and the Titans, which was abandoned amid a thunderstorm, is to be played on Saturday morning, with the winner to play in a playoff for fifth and sixth against the Chiayi Swingers, and the losers to enter the seventh-eighth playoff against the ICCT Smashers.
On Saturday, PCCT United’s batsmen stamped their authority on proceedings, blasting imposing totals batting first in their two games.
Their 132-6 against the Smashers set the highest team innings record for the tournament, as Shahzad Khan Muhammandzai (27) and Usman Javed (57) dominated their Taipei opponents.
Usman and Khan left little for the rest of their team to do, putting on 90 by the time they were both out by the sixth over.
The run rate dropped from 15 at that point to just over 10 for the remainder of the innings.
The Smashers were never in the chase, falling to a 44-run loss after posting 88-3, with Rajesh Mehta making 35.
Mushtaq Muhammad (2-9) was the best of the bowlers.
It was more of the same in United’s second game — against the Swingers — as they marched into the semi-finals.
Khan (34) opened with Amjad Zafar (23), while Usman (30) and captain Mujahid Muhammad (16) powered them to 114.
United are to face the winner of Saturday’s semi-final qualifier.
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