Islamabad:The Amazon Super League Season 2 is proof that the area of fielding determines victory or defeat in the game of cricket. The ASL-S2 teams that made to the semi-finals and the final showed better fielding standards than their rivals. Add aggressive bowling and great batting and you have a spectacle to watch. The losing ASL-S2 teams will surely have their coaches working on their fielding work. The wait till the Amazon Super League Season 3 in 2019 is long and all the ASL teams will have plenty of time to reflect on their performance.
Now back to the final day of the Amazon Super League Season 2 night-cricket. Lined up on the final day of the Amazon Super league were the qualifying teams including the Amazon Gladiators, the Amazon Warriors, the Amazon Panthers and the tournament favourite the Amazon Tigers. A total of three matches including two semi-finals and one final were played between the teams.
The first semi-final of the tournament was played between the Amazon Panthers and the Amazon Gladiators. The Amazon Gladiators won the toss and chose to bowl first. The Panthers took a good start with scoring 19 runs in the first over but bowlers of the Gladiators contained their run rate. Bowler Afaq Jan of the Gladiators brought the Panthers to a grounding halt with his hat-trick. The Amazon Panthers were dismissed at a weak score of 50 runs. Batting line of the Gladiators did not have to put in much effort. Poor fielding by the Panthers cost them three catch-drops. The Gladiators easily sliced through the target and won the first semi-final.
The Amazon Warriors and the Amazon Tigers locked horns in the second semi-final. The Warriors won the toss and decided to bowl first. Match favourites the Tigers were not impressive with their low score of 67 runs. However with their outstanding bowling and fielding the Tigers contained the Warriors at a score of 58 runs. Top batting order of the Warriors collapsed early and the middle order could not lift the run rate. The Amazon Tigers with this victory qualified for the ASL-S2 final.
Later in the night the final was played between The Amazon Tigers and the Amazon Gladiators. Imarat Group of Companies CEO Shafiq Akbar and Group Chief Development Officer Atif Masood Malik witnessed the toss. The Amazon Tigers won the toss and invited the Amazon Gladiators to bat first. The Tigers successfully aimed their energies at dismantling the top-order batting of the Gladiators. As a result the Gladiators could hardly make a score of 54 runs. The Gladiators simply could not shield themselves against the barrage of aggressive bowling and tight fielding of the Tigers. The Tigers struggled with the run rate in the beginning due to good bowling and fielding by the Gladiators. Their strategy to play calculated shots and avoid losing key wickets paid off and the Tigers won the match with a handful of bowling still remaining. Match favourites, the Tigers lifted the champions trophy of the Amazon Super League Season 2.
Captain of the Amazon Gladiators Sohail Chohan received the runners up trophy. Captain of the Amazon Tigers Muhammad Zafran received the champions trophy and cash prize of Rs.50,000. The Amazon Tigers remained unbeaten throughout the ASL-S2. Afaq Jan of the Tigers received both the titles of best batsmen and best bowler of the tournament. He received two trophies and a cash prize of Rs.10,000.
Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Senior Vice President Badar Haroon was the chief guest at the closing ceremony. Imarat Group of Companies Chairman Shafiq Akbar, Group Chief Development Officer Atif Masood Malik, Graana Group of Companies President General Saad Khattak (Retd), Director Farhan Javed, Director Arslan Javed and Agency 21 International Director Sharjeel A. Ehmer distributed the prizes.
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