Yusuf Pathan. (Source: US Master League)
Lauderhill, Florida, 21 August, 2023: The New Jersey Triton’s picked up their second win of the US Masters T10 League after defeating California Knights by six wickets at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida on August 21. The Triton’s restricted the Knights to 116/3 before chasing down their target with two balls to spare.
Naman Ojha struck a four and a six off Ashley Nurse’s bowling in the fourth over and took the New Jersey side’s score to 42/0, but he fell to Sulieman Benn for 25 runs off 11 balls in the next over. The Triton’s lost a couple of wickets in quick succession thereafter, but Yusuf Pathan put his team in the driver’s seat after smashing Krishmar Santokie for four sixes and a boundary.
Pathan fell to Peter Siddle for 35 runs off 11 balls in the ninth over, but Peter Trego’s maximum off Benn’s bowling ensured that the Triton’s walked off the field as winners of the match.
Earlier in the day, the New Jersey Triton’s won the toss and put the California Knights into bat. The Knights’ opening batter Jacques Kallis fell early in the innings to Chris Barnwell, but Aaron Finch and Milind Kumar kept the momentum on their team’s side through fantastic ball striking. Finch smashed a four and a six off Bipul Sharma’s bowling in the sixth over to take Knights’ score to 46/1 in six overs.
Thereafter, he struck consecutive sixes off Liam Plunkett’s bowling in the next over as the Knights reached 62/1. The Australian upped the ante even more when he sent the ball over the rope five times off Barnwell’s bowling in the ninth over. However, Peter Trego conceded just three runs in the last over and restricted the California Knights to 116/3 in their 10 overs.
Brief Scores: New Jersey Triton’s 117/4 (Yusuf Pathan 35, Naman Ojha 25, Peter Siddle 1/14) beat California Knights 116/3 (Aaron Finch 75*, Milind Kumar 27, Peter Trego 1/11) by 6 wickets.