Match Report 🏏🏏🏏
“Kuwait Outclass Kenya in Historic 97-Run Triumph as Monib Shines with All-Round Performance in ICC CWC Challenge League A”
KUWAIT 🇰🇼 312/8 (50.0)
KENYA 🇰🇪 215 (41.2)
Kuwait Beat Kenya By 97 Runs
‘Kuwait secured a commanding 97-run victory over Kenya in the ICC CWC Challenge League A 2024-2026 clash’ thanks to an all-round performance that displayed their dominance in List A cricket. After Kenya’s captain Ngoche opted to bowl first, Kuwait’s top order faced early pressure, losing opener Meet Bhavsar cheaply. However, Ravija, the hard-hitting Top-order batsman, stepped up with a quickfire half-century, anchoring the innings alongside the dependable Ali Zaheer. The duo stitched together a crucial 97-run partnership, giving Kuwait the stability they needed. Ravija’s aggressive knock came to an end when he offered a simple catch, while Ali, who was eyeing a bigger score, succumbed to the pressure and threw his wicket away. Despite the setbacks, Amin, Kuwait’s most reliable batsman in this format, kept the scoreboard ticking with a composed 46. Yasin Patel, promoted up the order, showed flair before departing for a well-made 33, while Usman Gani threatened to take the game away with his attacking intent, only to fall short when caught by Lucas.
Kuwait’s middle and lower order capitalized on the foundation laid by the top-order. Nimish, replacing Shiraz in the lineup, delivered a crucial knock of 43 off just 28 balls, hammering four boundaries and a six to accelerate the innings. His explosive hitting, combined with Monib’s late-order resilience, saw Kuwait surge past the 300-mark. Monib, who contributed 32 off 25 balls, and Nimish built a vital 74-run partnership, ensuring Kuwait finished at an imposing total of 312/8 in their allotted 50 overs. Kenya’s bowlers struggled to contain the relentless attack, and their inability to break key partnerships ultimately cost them as Kuwait set a challenging target.
In response, Kenya’s chase faltered early when opener Rushab Patel was caught by Kuwait’s captain Aslam off the bowling of Shafeeq in the third over. The pressure mounted as Monib, delivering a fiery spell, struck twice in the 13th over, reducing Kenya to 84/4 and leaving them in deep trouble. Aslam led from the front with the ball, picking up three crucial wickets while conceding just 37 runs in his 10-over spell, which also included a maiden. Yaseen picked up two wickets but proved expensive, while Meet Bhavsar’s economical spell of 10 overs for just 27 runs kept Kenya’s batsmen in check. Shafeeq’s late breakthroughs, taking two wickets in 4.2 overs, bundled out Kenya for 215 in 41.2 overs, sealing a comprehensive victory for Kuwait. Monib’s all-round brilliance, with 3/44 in 6 overs and a valuable 32 with the bat, earned him the Player of the Match award, as Kuwait reaffirmed their dominance in the tournament.
Report By : Harman Sahni
