Cosmos Warriors win Pakistan Premier League V top honours

Cricket. Sikandar Iftikhar Cheema noted their was growth in participation this season.

What you need to know:

  • Tail-ender Cricket Cranes all-rounder Emmanuel Isaneez (24 off 8) stood tall but never matched his understudy in the other dugout Kenneth Waiswa, whose figures of 4 for 10 in 2 overs, ensured Pak Land couldn’t score more than 68 runs when it mattered most to confirm Cosmos Warriors 30-run triumph. Twelve teams to part this season.

KAMPALA. Cosmos Warriors etched their names into traditional cricketing folklore with a convincing 31-run win over Pak Land to notch their first Pakistan Premier League title at its fifth edition on October 14.

Even the persistent drizzle did little in dooming the day with the players and officials, equally pumped up to deliver a fitting finale to what had been a memorable season of thrilling tape-bal cricket.

Crowd favourites Pak Land had a smooth campaign enroute to outlasting Khan XI by 18 runs in the semifinal whereas Cosmos Warriors ensured there would be no upset at the last four hurdle with a 36-run triumph over ‘big hitters’ Afridi XI.

But in the do-or-die final, Pak Land had themselves to blame for the no-show. Their star man Zohaib Butt, who picked up the Man of Series gong, was the villain when he dropped Cosmos Warriors’ star man Taimoor Mirza off the first ball of the match.

Mirza rode his luck and tonked the opposition into submission with a 20-ball half century of 62 runs as Cosmos set 108 for 4. Umer Bhai added 22 off 11 and Cricket Cranes vice captain Brian Masaba stroked one six in his five-ball cameo of 12 with none of the bowlers managing any impressive figures.

Then when Pak Land needed quick runs, none of their top six going with Butt (14 off 7), Tahir Nazir (6 off 2), Ali Malik (5 off 12), national captain Roger Mukasa (7 off 4), Jamshed Mughal (0 off 1) and Umair Iftikhar (1 off 3) all falling cheaply.

Tail-ender Cricket Cranes all-rounder Emmanuel Isaneez (24 off 8) stood tall but never matched his understudy in the other dugout Kenneth Waiswa, whose figures of 4 for 10 in 2 overs, ensured Pak Land couldn’t score more than 68 runs when it mattered most to confirm Cosmos Warriors 30-run triumph. Twelve teams to part this season.

FINAL - PPL SEASON FIVE

Cosmos Warriors 108/4 Pak Land 68/10
Cosmos Warriors won by 30 runs
Semifinals
Pak Land 120/5 Khan XI 102/7
Cosmos Warriors 163/2 Afridi XI 127/4

THE TOP PERFORMERS
Man Of Series:
Zohaib Butt (Pak Land)
Best Bowler:
David Wabwire 12 wickets (Pak Land)
Best Batsman:
Taimoor Mirza 451 runs (Cosmos Warriors)
Best Catch:
Jamshed Mughal
(Pak Land)

Best Play In Final: Kenneth Waiswa
4/10 in 2 overs
(Cosmos Warriors)