Shpageeza Cricket League 2024 Points Table: Updated Standings after Band-e-Amir Dragons vs Mis Ainak Knights, Match 8

The Shpageeza Cricket League 2024 resumed on Friday, August 16 after a day-gap with two matches at the Kabul International Cricket Stadium. Amo Sharks blanked Boost Defenders in the first match of the day, while Mis Ainak Knights outclassed Band-e-Amir Dragons in the second game.

With their latest win, Knights further solidified themselves at the top of the Shpageeza Cricket League 2024 points table with six points from three matches. The Dragons take the second spot with two wins from four games and a healthy NRR of 0.126. The Defenders trail behind the Dragons on the basis of holding a slightly inferior NRR, that of -0.341.

Meanwhile, the Sharks opened their account on the points table by defeating the Defenders to jump to number four on the table. Winless Speen Ghar Tigers take the fifth rank for losing three straight games in succession. Hindukush Stars, Kabul Eagles and Pamir Zalmi occupy the final three positions as they are yet to play their first match of the season.

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Sharafuddin Ashraf’s all-round brilliance the highlight of Shpageeza double-header

In the seventh match of the season, Boost Defenders batted first and charted 145/5 from 20 overs. Unbeaten Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai and Gulbadin Naib slapped valiant 30s and shared a 60-run stand off just 43 balls. Darwish Rasooli also scored 36 from 24 balls at the top of the order. Among Amo Sharks bowlers, Sharafuddin Ashraf picked up both Defenders openers and conceded just 21 runs in his four overs.

In the run-chase, Sharks opener Abdul Malik clubbed 62 from 41 balls and shared identical fifty-plus partnerships with Sharafuddin Ashraf (35 off 21) and Zubaid Akbari (16 off 17). Following Malik’s dismissal to Fareed Ahmad (1/34), Shahidullah and wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq mowed down the remaining runs with six wickets and three overs to spare.

Later in the day, Mis Ainak Knights were restricted to just 128/9 by Band-e-Amir Dragons bowlers Nangeyalia Kharote (3/15) and AM Ghazanfar (2/15). Knights’ opener Naveed Obaid himself accounted for 51 of those runs from just 37 balls, while none of his colleagues managed to outscore captain Ibrahim Zadran’s mere 19-run effort.

In a remarkable turnaround, Knights bowlers defended the paltry total by a fair margin. After the Dragons lost opener Riaz Hassan in just the second over, Sediqullah Atal (49 off 46) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (35 off 42) took their team to a commanding 88/1. However, Yama Arab (4/22) picked up four quick wickets and restricted the Dragons to just 113/9.

The Knights won the match by 15 runs and extended their unbeaten run in the Shpageeza Cricket League 2024 season to three matches.