US Masters T10 League: Jacques Kallis plays scintillating knock as California Knights defeat Texas Chargers

Lauderhill [US]: California Knights picked up their first victory of the tournament after defeating Texas Chargers by 48 runs in the US Masters T10 League at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida on Saturday.

The California Knights put up a total of 158/1 before restricting the Texas Chargers to 110/8 in their 10 overs.

Mohammad Hafeez fell to Peter Siddle for two runs off two balls in the first over, but Mukhtar Ahmed struck consecutive sixes and took the Chargers’ score to 19/1. Ahmed smashed two more sixes off Krishmar Santokie’s bowling as the Chargers were comfortably placed at 54/1 at the end of the third over.

However, Ashley Nurse stopped the flow of runs by dismissing Ben Dunk and Mukhtar Ahmed in the fourth over. Thereafter, the California Knights kept picking up wickets at regular intervals and eventually walked off the field as winners.

Earlier in the day, the California Knights won the toss and chose to bat first. The Knights’ opening batter Aaron Finch departed in the very first over after being caught out by Fidel Edwards for a duck.

However, Jacques Kallis pulled the momentum towards the Knights through four boundaries off Sohail Tanvir’s bowling in the second over. Milind Kumar also joined the party in the fourth over as he struck three sixes and a boundary off Pragyan Ojha’s bowling.

Jacques Kallis played an incredible knock of 64* runs from 31 balls and Milind Kumar smashed 76* runs off 28 balls to help the Knights post 158/1 in their 10 overs. The duo struck 15 fours and 9 sixes during the course of their innings.

Brief Scores: California Knights 158/1 (Milind Kumar 76*, Jacques Kallis 64*, Fidel Edwards 1/24) vs Texas Chargers 110/8 (Mukhtar Ahmed 33, Upul Tharanga 27, Ashley Nurse 3/12) by 48 runs.