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In the Kerala Cricket League, while all eyes were on India’s star batsman Sanju Samson, other players were also making their mark. One such player is Muhammad Ashik, who has been showcasing his all-around talent in the league. This was evident in the match between Kollam Sailors and Kochi Blue Tigers, where Sanju Samson scored a blistering century, but Ashik stole the show with a quick 18-ball innings. Kochi chased a difficult target of 237 runs in the match, with the victory decided on the final ball, sealed by Ashik himself.
The match, the 8th of the KCL, took place on August 24th, and it was not a good day for the bowlers. Kollam batted first and scored a massive 236 runs in 20 overs. Vishnu Vinod played a smashing innings for them, scoring 94 runs off just 41 balls with the help of 10 sixes. Kollam’s captain, Sachin Baby, was also not far behind, scoring 91 runs off 44 balls, including 6 fours and 6 sixes. This was the highest score of the season, making the challenge for Kochi even tougher.
Samson, opening for Kochi, started his innings with aggressive batting. He reached his half-century in just 16 balls and then completed his century in 42 balls. His explosive century provided the necessary momentum for the team to win. However, some wickets fell in between, putting the team in a difficult situation. At that moment, Muhammad Ashik, a right-handed batsman, took charge. He first formed a 40-run partnership with Samson. Samson scored 121 runs off 51 balls, including 14 fours and 7 sixes.
Ashik took the responsibility of leading the team to victory. In the final over, Kochi needed 17 runs to win, and Ashik hit a four on the first ball and a six on the second. Another batsman was run out trying to take a run on the fourth ball, but Ashik was on strike for the last two balls. He couldn’t score on the fifth ball, but with 6 runs needed on the last ball, Ashik hit a long shot over the long-on boundary, hitting a six and securing an exciting victory for the team. Ashik scored an unbeaten 45 runs off just 18 balls, hitting 5 sixes and 3 fours.
