Aslam Stars With Bat and Ball as Kuwait Outclass Papua New Guinea

KUWAIT 🇰🇼 vs PNG 🇵🇬

PNG 148/10 (35.2)
KUWAIT 149/6 (22.4)

Kuwait Won by 4 Wickets.

Kuwait put on a commanding display to register a comprehensive victory over Papua New Guinea in the ICC CWC Challenge League A. Coming off a thrilling tie against Jersey yesterday, the team showed great character and determination to make the most of their opportunity and this time ensured there were no slip-ups, winning the contest with plenty to spare.

Papua New Guinea, batting first, had a steady beginning with a few early partnerships, but Kuwait’s bowlers quickly took control of the game. The charge was once again led by skipper Mohammed Aslam, who bowled with fire and discipline, striking at crucial stages to break the backbone of PNG’s batting. He was well supported by Yasin Patel and Shiraz Khan, who both returned with three wickets each. Their combined effort left PNG rattled and eventually bundled out for a modest total. Kuwait’s bowlers deserve huge credit for maintaining relentless pressure, forcing mistakes, and never allowing the opposition to settle.

Chasing what looked like a straightforward target, Kuwait faced an early scare as they lost three quick wickets inside the powerplay. With the top order back in the hut, the pressure was firmly on the middle order to rebuild. This is where the experience of Ravija Sandaruwan and the calm presence of skipper Aslam came to the fore. The duo steadied the innings with a sensible partnership, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking. Shiraz Khan, who had already shone with the ball, made valuable contributions with the bat too, while other batters in the middle order chipped in with handy runs to make sure the chase remained on track.

The defining moment of the game was undoubtedly the skipper’s all-round brilliance. Having already dismantled PNG’s batting line-up with the ball, Aslam took responsibility with the bat, anchoring the innings and guiding his side over the line. His leadership by example earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match award, underlining his importance as both a match-winner and a motivator for this team.

For Kuwait, this victory carried even more weight considering the heartbreak of the previous day against Jersey. To bounce back from a tie in such quick time and put in a clinical performance against a strong side like Papua New Guinea speaks volumes about the team’s mindset and determination. The bowlers set the tone, the batters absorbed early pressure, and the skipper stood tall as the driving force. It was the kind of all-round team performance that sends a strong message to the rest of the competition—Kuwait are here not just to compete, but to win.