Led by captain Brendon McCullum’s brilliant unbeaten 83, Otago Volts started its campaign in the Champions League T20 with a bang by recording a clinical eight–wicket victory over Faisalabad Wolves in the first qualifying match at the PCA Stadium here on Tuesday.
Wolves, after winning the toss, set a modest target of 140 runs and Volts achieved it with more than two overs to spare.
Composed
Less than 24 hours after arriving here from Zimbabwe, Misbah showed his class. Gifted with reassuring composure, the Wolves skipper came into the middle when Wolves were tottering at 34 for three in the eighth over.
He forged a much-needed 61-run partnership with Khurram Shahzad to guide his team to a respectable total.
After rotating the strike well with Shahzad, Misbah resorted to his trademark power hitting. Misbah played some massive shots on the onside and chose Nathan McCullum for some special treatment.
The Wolves captain hit the off-spinner for 18 runs, including two sixes and a four, in one over in his effort to make up for the lost ground.
In his second spell, Ian Butler removed the two set Wolves batsmen in consecutive overs and helped Volts regain control over the proceedings.
Shahzad, who adapted to the situation and showed patience in his 36-ball 27, hit it straight to mid-off, while Misbah, making room to play a shot, could not block a well-directed yorker.
Earlier, Ammar Mahmood, Ali Waqas and Asif Ali put Wolves in deep trouble because of their poor shot selection.
The Volts seamers, led by James McMillan’s two-wicket burst, got good purchase from the fresh wicket and bowled with discipline to keep the Wolves batsmen in check.
In reply, Volts began the run chase at a brisk pace even after losing Neil Broom off the second ball of the innings.
Laying the foundation
Brendon McCullum joined forces with Hamish Rutherford and the duo added 41 runs before the left-handed opener, who hammered three clean sixes and a four straight down the ground, hit Saeed Ajmal high to be caught by Asif Ali at deep mid-wicket.
Rutherford’s 12-ball 25 sort of laid the foundation for Volts.
McCullum, dropped on 41, gathered runs with ease to reach his half-century.
His 65-ball knock included nine hits to the fence and two over it. de Boorder, 30 not out, played some lusty shots and gave McCullum good company till the end.
