Match 3 of the Global T20 Canada (GT20) 2023 tournament featured an exhilarating contest between the Surrey Jaguars and the Montreal Tigers at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario. The Tigers won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to restrict the Jaguars’ batting lineup.
The Jaguars began their innings on a shocking note, with Litton Das and Alex Hales falling cheaply. However, Jatinder Singh provided some impetus with a quick 27 runs off 15 balls, including 5 fours. Pargat Singh and Iftikhar Ahmed contributed 13 and 40 runs, respectively, to stabilize the innings. Later, Dilon Heyliger‘s knock of 18 (16), featuring 1 four and 1 six, pushed the Jaguars’ total to 136/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The Tigers’ bowlers displayed an impressive performance, with Shakib Al Hasan being the standout performer. He claimed 3 crucial wickets, conceding only 18 runs in his 4-over spell. Kaleem Sana and Abbas Afridi also chipped in with 1 and 2 wickets, respectively, to keep the Jaguars’ total in check.
In response, the Tigers started steadily, with Waseem Muhammad and Chris Lynn providing a solid start. However, Lynn’s aggressive 22 runs off 15 balls, including 3 fours and 1 six, was cut short by Bernard Scholtz.
Shakib’s all-around prowess was evident as he continued his fine form with the bat, scoring a quick 26 runs off 13 balls, including 4 fours and 1 six.
Dilpreet Bajwa emerged as the star of the show for the Tigers, playing a composed innings of 28 runs off 31 balls, with 1 six, and remaining unbeaten till the end. Dipendra Singh Airee also contributed significantly with 28 runs off 22 balls.
Despite some hiccups in the middle order, Carlos Brathwaite‘s quickfire 14 runs off 6 balls, including 2 sixes, ensured that the Tigers reach the set-target with 9 balls to spare. The Tigers finished at 141/5 in 18.3 overs, securing an emphatic 5-wicket victory over the Jaguars.
The bowling efforts from Sandeep Lamichhane (2 wickets for 17 runs) and Scholtz (1 wicket for 30 runs) provided some resistance for the Jaguars, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Tigers from clinching the win.
Taking everyone by surprise, Bajwa was named the ‘Player of the Match.’
