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Chicago Kingsmen maintained their unbeaten run in the ongoing Top End T20 Series with a convincing 69-run victory over Pakistan Shaheens at the Marrara Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Batting first, the Kingsmen put up a strong total of 206-5 in 20 overs, thanks to a brilliant 102-run stand between Milind Kumar and Tajinder Singh. The pair rescued the innings after early setbacks and set the platform for a big score.
Milind was the star performer with a fiery 74 off 37 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes. Tajinder provided solid support with 58 off 37 deliveries, while opener Shayan Jahangir added 30 runs. However, the rest of the batting order could not make significant contributions, with Sharjeel Khan (8) and Shehan Jayasuriya (2) falling cheaply. Skipper Hammad Azam (1*) and Hassan Khan (8*) stayed not out at the end.
For the Shaheens, Mohammad Wasim Jr was the pick of the bowlers, though expensive, claiming 2-57 in four overs, while Saad Masood and Shahid Aziz grabbed one wicket each.
Chasing a steep target, Pakistan Shaheens fell under pressure and managed only 137-8. Opener Yasir Khan fought hard with a 38-run knock, while captain Irfan Khan and Shahid Aziz contributed 24 runs each. Wasim Jr (16*) and Ubaid Shah (13*) tried to resist late on, but the wickets kept falling regularly.
The Kingsmen bowlers delivered a collective effort, led by Scott Kuggeleijn, who bagged 3 wickets. Ehsan Adil took two scalps, while Ghulam Mudassar, Hassan Khan, and Umer Khan chipped in with one each.
With this result, Chicago Kingsmen now sit comfortably at the top of the points table with three wins in three matches, earning six points and a strong net run rate of 1.740. Meanwhile, the Shaheens are placed third with two wins in four games, holding a net run rate of 0.832.
The Shaheens, led by Irfan Khan, will aim to bounce back in their next fixture against Adelaide Strikers Academy on August 20.
