UCA National T20 Cup Finals
Kutchi Tigers 153/7 in 20 overs lost to Challengers 155/5 in 18 overs by 5 wickets.
Toss won by Kutchi Tigers who elected to bat.
- Batting Kutchi: Jaydev Parmar 39(29), Pankaj Vekaria 24(15)
- Bowling Challengers: Irfan Sahibzada 3/10 in 15 overs.
- Batting Challengers: Shahzad Ukani 55(40) n.o, Arthur Kyobe 39(16)
- Bowling Kutchi: Saumil Patel 2/37 in 4 overs
Challengers defeated Kutchi Tigers by 5 wickets to defend their T20 crown which they won in 2016. In a final game that was watched by a big crowd the defending champions overcame Kutchi Tigers in a good match.
Before the afternoon final both sides had to overcome semifinal opponents with Challengers slaying Damani by 40 runs at Kyambogo while Kutchi Tigers walked past KICC by 66 runs at Lugogo.
Arthur Kyobe was the star for Challengers in the semifinals played earlier in the day when they defeated league champions Damani by 40 runs in a runs feast at Kyambogo. The left hand batsman scored 59 off 32 balls sending 3 big maximums into the estates end in Kyambogo with Zimbabwean Shinji Masakadza scoring 52 in contribution to the big total.
Damani never got going in the chase as they lost Arnold Otwani in the 2nd over, Riaz Khan (49) took the game to Challengers but once he was bowled by Henry Ssenyondo, the final was far for Damani and despite a late cameo by Emmanuel Isaneez (35) the asking rate was already over 18 an over and Challengers closed out the game to book a place in the final.
In Lugogo, Kutchi tigers made light work of KICC. Despite losing to them in the group stages, Kutchi Tigers won when it mattered most defeating KICC by 66 runs. Vyas Nisarg (98) put KICC to the sword his half century coming off only 46 balls. KICC despite having regular captain Hanumnat Kathkar available failed to even get close their batting failing them when they needed it most.
In the final, Kutchi Tigers who are known to be a team that always chases was asked to bat first and somehow this derailed their on onslaught losing wickets in clusters without managing any serious partnerships, in the end they managed a respectable 153 in their 20 overs.
Challengers were nervous in the chase losing Hamu Kayondo with only 21 on the board but Aneef Mohammed and Shahzad Kamal (55) steadied the ship with the later hitting the winning six to salvage Challengers season.
Challengers were favorites to win the league given human resources but a dreadful campaign saw them finish in 5th place but they managed to regroup and win the T20 crown and in style going throughout the tournament without losing a game.
There were surprises when they took home 4 out of the 5 individual awards with Arthur Kyobe (Best Batsman), Aneef Mohammed (Man of Series), Ivan Thawirathemwira (Best Wicket Keeper) and Irfan Afridi (Best Bowler), Frank Nsubuga was the only winner not from Challengers when he scooped the best fielder award.
The conclusion of the T20 league brings the down the curtain on a long 2017 season with the 2018 season expected to start next week.
National T20 Cup Awards:
1. Best Wicket Keeper: Ivan Thawithemwira ( Challengers)
2. Best Fielder: Frank Nsubuga( KICC)
3. Best Bowler: Irfan Sahibzada (Challengers)
4. Best Batsman: Arthur Kyobe ( Challengers)
5. Player of the series: Mohammed Aneef (Challengers)