WATCH: Abbas Afridi’s hat-trick takes Montreal Tigers to the final of GT20 Canada 2023

Montreal Tigers secured a nail-biting victory over Vancouver Knights in the Qualifier 2 of the Global T20 Canada 2023. With the victory, the Tigers also secured a berth in the final where they will face Surrey Jaguars.

Put in to bat first, Vancouver Knights started their innings on a steady note, with Mohammad Rizwan leading from the front, scoring 39 runs off 33 balls. However, the Knights’ batting struggled to capitalize on the starts, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

All-rounder Corbin Bosch played a brilliant cameo, smashing 36 runs off just 28 balls, but the Knights could only manage to post a modest total of 137/6 in their allotted 20 overs. The Montreal Tigers’ bowlers put up an impressive display, led by Abbas Afridi, who was the pick of the bowlers, scalping five wickets, including a hat-trick and conceding 29 runs in his four-over spell. Ayan Khan and Andre Russell also chipped in with a wicket each, as they kept the Knights’ batsmen in check.

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Sherfane Rutherford shines with the willow

Chasing 138 to win, the Montreal Tigers got off to a shaky start, losing wickets early on. However, Sherfane Rutherford played a spectacular innings, rescuing his team from a precarious position. Rutherford’s attacking approach yielded him 48 runs off 34 deliveries, which included two fours and three towering sixes. Dipendra Singh Airee provided valuable support, contributing 25 runs from 28 balls.

However, the match came down to the wire with both teams locked in a tense battle. In the end, it was a brilliant display of nerves by Ayan Khan, who scored 18 crucial runs off just 14 balls, taking the Tigers over the line with just three balls to spare.

For the Vancouver Knights, Junaid Siddique put up an exceptional bowling performance, claiming four wickets and conceding only 22 runs in his four overs. But his efforts were not enough to stop the Tigers from securing a thrilling one-wicket victory.

Here’s the video of Abbas Afridi’s hat-trick:

Bosch ✅ Rassie ✅ Najib ✅

Abbas Afridi removes the backbone of the Knights within 3 deliveries 🔥#GT20Canada #GT20Season3 #GlobalT20 #CricketsNorth #GT20Playoffs #VKvMT pic.twitter.com/cToYDhEeUH

— GT20 Canada (@GT20Canada) August 5, 2023

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