Rathod helps Qatar beat Bahrain in Gulf Cricket T20I

Host Qatar, powered by Muhammad Tanveer’s 40 off 31 balls and two wickets apiece by Muhammad Jabir (2/26) and Himanshu Rathod (2/27), defeated Bahrain by 19 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the Gulf Cricket T20I Championship in Doha on Friday night.

Put into bat at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Qatar started well through openers, the wicketkeeper-batsman Imal Liyanage (18) and Saqlain Arshad (20), who put on 41 for the first wicket in 5.3 overs.

Rathod made 23 off 18 towards the end of the innings to take the team to 138/8 in 20 overs.

Left-arm spinner Abdul Majeed Abbasi (2/11) was the most successful bowler for Bahrain as he removed Arshad for 20 and No. 5 batter Mirza Mohammed Baig.  

In response, Bahrain lost early wickets and were reduced to 55/5 in 10.4 overs. Rain had caused the match to be reduced to 17 overs and the target for the Bahrainis was 124.

Imran Anwar, with 37 off 27 balls, put up a fight but the initial blows proved too damaging and left the Bahrainis with a lot of work towards the end.

The 36-year-old debutant Rathod (in pic), who bats right-handed and is a medium pacer, was awarded with the Player of the Match honour for his all-round show.

Brief scores: Qatar 138/8 in 20 overs (Muhammad Tanveer 40, Himanshu Rathod 23, Abdul Majeed Abbasi 2/11) beat Bahrain 104/7 in 17 overs (Imran Anwar 37, Muhammad Jabir 2/26, Himanshu Rathod 2/27) by 19 runs 

Cricket, Qatar, Gulf Cricket T20I, Bahrain, T20