After the two GT20 Canada qualifier matches the teams – Surrey Jaguars and the Montreal Tigers will clash for the 2023 finals on 6th August at the TD Cricket Arena in Brampton.Â
Qualifier Overviews
Qualifier 2 – Montreal Tigers vs Vancouver Knights
Qualifier 2 of Global T20 Canada saw the Montreal Tigers defeat the Vancouver Knights to secure a coveted position in the finals. Their efforts with the ball were led by Abbas Afridi (5/29) who picked up five wickets, including a hattrick and Sherfane Rutherfords’s (48*) last over heroics with the bat that ensured the Tigers won by 1 wicket and 3 balls remaining. The Montreal Tigers will take on the Surrey Jaguars in the final clash of the tournament on Sunday, at the TD Cricket Arena in Brampton.
The Montreal Tigers won the toss and elected to field first. The Vancouver Knights had a steady start to the innings despite losing Vritya Aravind (7) early. At the end of the powerplay, the Knights were 35/1. Mohammad Rizwan (39) and Corbin Bosch (36) built yet another essential partnership of 57 runs. However, the momentum switched rapidly when the Knights lost four wickets in just as many balls. The innings went from 90/1 to 90/5 as Corbin Bosch triggered the collapse when he was scalped by Abbas Afridi. The very next delivery saw Abbas Afridi dismiss Rassie Van Der Dussen (0) followed by Najibullah Zadran (0), completing the bowler’s hattrick. The first ball of the next over saw Mohammad Rizwan (39) also dismissed by Ayaan Afzal Khan. Following this, Fabian Allen (10) was Abbas Afridi’s fifth victim of the day. The Vancouver Knights finished at an above par score of 137/6.
In response, Tigers had an explosive start. Muhammad Waseem (13) struck two maximums in the first over before he was dismissed by Corbin Bosch. Chris Lynn (7), Srimantha Wijeyeratne (6) and Dilpreet Singh (2) followed soon after. At the end of the powerplay, the Tigers were struggling at 37/4. Dipendra Singh Airee (25) and Sherfane Rutherford (48*) came together to stabilize the run chase, putting on a 43-run partnership. With 15 runs needed of the last over, and only a wicket in hand, a composed Sherfane Rutherford launched Rayyan Pathan for three consecutive sixes to earn the Tigers a sensational victory.
Brief Scores
Tigers Won By 1 Wicket
Vancouver Knights 137-6 Wickets
Mohammed Rizwan – 39 runs in 33 balls, Corbin Bosch – 36 runs in 28 balls, Harsh Thaker – 26 runs in 21 balls, Abbas Afridi – 5/25, Ayaan Afzal Khan – 1/30
Montreal Tigers 141-9 Wickets
Sherfane Rutherford – 48* runs in 34 balls, Dipendra Singh Airee – 25 runs in 28 balls, Ayaan Afzal Khan – 18 runs in 14 balls, Junaid Siddique – 4/22, Fabian Allen – 2/15, Corbin Bosch – 2/18)
*******
Qualifier 1: Surrey Jaguars vs Vancouver Knights
The Playoff stages of the Global T20 Canada saw the Surrey Jaguars register a comprehensive 38 run victory over the Vancouver Knights in Qualifier 1 to find themselves in the final. Their victory was enabled by the sensational bowling performances of Junaid Siddique (4/22), Ruben Trumpelmann (2/26) and Karthik Meiyappan (2/24).Â
The Jaguars were asked to set a target by the Vancouver Knights. Both openers, Mohammad Haris (20) and Jatinder Singh (15) got starts but failed to make it count. At the end of the powerplay the Jaguars were placed at 45/2. Following their demise, their tail struggled to make an impact. Junaid Siddique (4/22) was the standout bowler for the Knights, restricting the Jaguars to 139/9.
The Knights’ response fell apart early on. At the end of the powerplay the Knights were struggling at 31/4 with the early dismissals of Rayyan Pathan (4), Mohammad Rizwan (4), Rassie Van Der Dussen (6) and Harsh Thaker (4). Following this, Najibullah Zadran (15) and Fabian Allen (27) were a glimmer of hope but departed soon enough.
Expectedly the tail struggled to make a significant contribution despite Trumpelmann’s (11) knock and were bundled out for 101. The Surrey Jaguars made their way to the finals with a dominant victory of 38 runs.Â
 Brief Scores
Jaguars Won By 38 Runs
Surrey Jaguars 139-9 Wickets
Iftikhar Ahmed – 36 runs in 28 balls, Ayaan – 29 runs in 20 balls, M. Haris – 20 runs in 15 balls, Junaid Siddique – 4/22, Karthik Meiyappan – 2/24, Ruben Trumpelmann – 2/26
Vancouver Knights 101-10 Wickets
Fabian Allen – 27 runs in 20 balls, N. Zadran – 15 runs in 18 balls, Matthew Forde – 4/16, Dillon Heyliger – 2/8.
