Sports
Qatar Overhauls Kuwait's 233 in Emphatic Four-Wicket ACC Premier Cup Win
Half-centuries from Imal Liyanage and Zubair Ali guided Qatar to a commanding four-wicket victory over Kuwait in a Group B fixture of the ACC Men's Premier Cup, with the chase completed in just 35.5 overs.
Batting first, Kuwait struggled early, slipping to 34/2 after the opening Powerplay. Ali Zaheer and Mohammed Aslam Nawfer steadied the innings with a 50-run stand from 73 balls, Zaheer making 23 off 40 and Nawfer 22 off 33. Kuwait moved past 100 in 22.5 overs and 150 in 34.4 overs, though the loss of five wickets between overs 10.1 and 40 kept the innings in check. A late surge saw Kuwait add 65 runs in the final Powerplay, crossing 200 in 45.4 overs before being bowled out for 233 in 49.5 overs.
Chasing 234, Qatar were 45/1 after 10 overs before Liyanage and Zubair took charge. The pair built a 50-run partnership from 67 balls and later extended it to 100 runs off 119 deliveries. Liyanage brought up his half-century from 68 balls with seven boundaries, while Zubair reached his fifty in 55 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes. Liyanage was eventually dismissed for 56 off 81 balls, and Zubair for 53 off 58.
With the platform set, Qatar accelerated sharply through a blistering 50-run stand between Shahzeb Afridi and Muhammad Asim, compiled off just 25 balls. Afridi struck 23 from 12 deliveries, while Asim made 24 from 13. This burst carried Qatar from 150 in 28.1 overs to 200 in only 33.2 overs, effectively sealing the result.
Qatar finished on 235/6 in 35.5 overs, winning by four wickets with 85 balls to spare.
Match Summary: Kuwait 233 all out (49.5 overs) Qatar 235/6 (35.5 overs) Qatar won by 4 wickets
Kuwait's innings saw wickets fall regularly: Adnan Idrees (4), Ravija Sandaruwan (21), Ali Zaheer (107), Mohammed Aslam Nawfer (114), Usmangani Patel (149), Bilal Tahir (156), Yasin Patel (156), Abdullah Zaheer (197), Muhammad Aqif Farooq (231) and Mohamed Shafeeq (233, the final wicket falling with just one ball remaining in the innings).
For Qatar, Shahzaib Jamil Ahmed departed for a golden duck, before Zubair Ali (115) and Imal Liyanage (136) fell after their key contributions. Mirza Mohammed Baig went at 168, followed by Muhammad Asim (225) and Shahzeb Afridi (227) during the late assault.
The match was played at the UKM-YSD Cricket Oval in Bangi on Monday, September 7, 2026, with Qatar winning the toss and opting to bowl first. The pitch was described as a flat track offering average batting conditions, pace and bounce for seamers, and slow assistance for spinners.
The victory keeps Qatar in contention for a playoff spot, with the team now awaiting results from other sides in the group.