T20 Blast: Umar Akmal strikes form to take Leicestershire home

Published June 6, 2015
Umar Akmal smashed four fours and five sixes in his 49-ball 76. -Reuters/File
Umar Akmal smashed four fours and five sixes in his 49-ball 76. -Reuters/File

Umar Akmal showed his experience to guide Leicestershire Foxes to a six-wicket victory in their NatWest T20 Blast match against Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge.

The Pakistan international, on his Foxes’ debut, made an unbeaten 76 as the match ended in confusing circumstances.

After Akmal had plundered his third six of a Luke Fletcher over, the 19th of the innings, the umpires intervened and announced that they had imposed a further six penalty runs against the home side, as they would be unable to start their final over in time.

Akmal scored his runs from 49 balls, hitting four fours and five sixes as the Foxes ended a bleak series of results in Nottingham, that has seen them lose on six of their previous seven visits.

The home side, including England’s Stuart Broad in their T20 side for the first time since Finals Day in 2010, had made 148 for seven for after being inserted, with Alex Hales top-scoring with 54.

Ajmal's Rapids triumph over Afridi's Steelbacks

In what was billed as the Afridi vs Ajmal clash, Moeen Ali hit a dominant 90 off 50 balls to give Worcestershire Rapids their second NatWest T20 Blast victory by 14 runs over winless Northants Steelbacks at Wantage Road.

Moeen helped Northants reach 211 for three before his side restricted Worcestershire for 197 in their 20 overs.

Afridi came in for some treatment at hands of Moeen and conceded 39 runs from his four overs while picking up one wicket. He scored 15 off 6 deliveries, including two huge sixes but could not take his side within touching distance of a win.

Ajmal, in his comeback match for Worcestershire, went for a whopping 53 runs from his four overs but bagged three wickets as a consolation.

ECB/Sports Desk

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