The Vancouver Knights were defeated by the Toronto Nationals by eight wickets on Thursday to mark the grand opening of the Global T20 cricket competition.
After winning the toss, Toronto decided to bat first. With 32 balls left, the Nationals reached 111 for two, easily defeating the target of 111.
Colin Munro, a former international for New Zealand, took the lead with 44 runs off 39 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes. Rassie van der Dussen, a South African, added 31 runs without a break.
After six overs, during which the fielding team is only permitted to position two players outside of a 30-yard circle, Toronto was up 36-0. On the other hand, after six overs, Vancouver was down 23-1.
Munro and fellow opener Unmukt Chund put on 41 together before the latter (23), off a delivery from Sandeep Lamichhane, was leg before wicket in the seventh over.
After ten overs, the Toronto Nationals were 65 for one. And they made sure the scoreboard didn’t stop spinning by hitting three sixes in the 11th over off Lamichhane, two of which came from Munro.
Paul van Meekeren bowled Munro in the 12th over, causing Toronto to be 88 for two when he left the field at 44. After 10 overs, Vancouver was 44 for one after a sluggish start to their innings. Junaid Siddique quickly turned things around in the 11th over, getting rid of Nitish Kumar (zero), Harsh Thaker (zero), and opener Reeza Hendricks (23). At the end of the over, Vancouver had scored 45 for 4.
Muhammad Rohid took two wickets in the 19th over and Siddique dispatched van Meekeren with three balls remaining to end the Vancouver inning.
Hendricks and Munir Ahmad led Vancouver with 23 runs apiece. Siddique, who plays for the United Arab Emirates, was named man of the match after taking four wickets at the expense of 25 runs.
