The first of a best of three finals for the ICL 20s Indian Championship featured defending champions Hyderabad Heroes take on the mighty Lahore Badshahs in front of an 83,000 spectators’ packed Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad.

An Unbeaten hurricane knock of 65 runs off just 38 deliveries by opening batsman Imran Farhat saw Lahore Badshahs maul Hyderabad Heroes by four wickets.

Earlier, in the evening Badshahs skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and decided to field first. Hyderabad Heroes openers Ibrahim Khaleel and Jimmy Maher provided a good start. Both added 49 runs for the first wicket in six overs. It was the in-form bowler, Rana Naved ul Hasan who picked Khaleel in the 6th over of the match.

Experienced Razzaq then joined Maher and they took the team to 83 for one at the half way mark. The former Pakistani player scored his fifth ICL fifty in just 31 balls, with five fours and two towering sixes. He scored a brilliant 69 off just 46 balls.

By the end of 15th over, Heroes were looking in a good position position at 137/.1. However, Badshahs bowled really very well in the last 5 overs, restricting Heroes to score only 170 runs in their allotted 20 overs. While from Badshahs, Rana Naved ul Hasan again gave brilliant performance with the ball ending with impressive figures of three for 25.

Badshahs openers Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat started the run chase in their usual attacking style. Imran Nazir scored a quick fire 28 off just 10 balls. However Nazir’s innings was ended by Razzaq. After Nazir’s fall, Rana Naved joined Farhat and brought up the team’s fifty only in the fourth over of the innings. Naved was picked by Boje in the 10th over in the innings. Meanwhile, Farhat brought up his fourth ICL fifty in the 12 over, of only 31 balls. Farhat’s brilliant innings came to an end when Anirudh Singh had him caught at long off by Reddy in the crucial 14th over. However, from driver’s seat, Badshahs slipped to 137 for five in 15 overs, and were looking in trouble. But, experienced all rounder Azhar Mahmood took the game away from Heroes by sharing a crucial 32 runs seven wicket partnership with Khalid. Badshahs won the first final by four wicket.

Scores in Brief:

Hyderabad Heroes 170/5 in 20 overs (Jimmy Maher 45, Abdul Razzaq 69, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan 3/25) lost to Lahore Badshahs 174/6 in 19.1 overs (Imran Farhat 65).

Man of the Match: Imran Farhat