Pakistan Shaheens beat Melbourne Renegades by four wickets in Top End T20 series

Pakistan Shaheens clinched a four-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades in a low-scoring match on Thursday at the Top-End T20 series.

The Shaheens' disciplined bowling attack restricted the Renegades to a modest total, which they chased down to clinch the win.

After being asked to bat first, the Renegades found themselves in trouble early on, losing wickets regularly and struggling to build momentum. 

Jai Lemire was the top scorer for the Renegades with a cautious 23 runs off 24 balls, but the team managed only 107 runs before being bowled out. 

Blake Macdonald’s quick 18 off 10 balls, featuring three boundaries, provided some resistance, while Will Sutherland added 16 runs. However, the Renegades could not overcome the relentless pressure from the Shaheens' bowlers.

Jahandad Khan led the bowling effort for the Shaheens, taking three wickets for just 19 runs in 3.3 overs. He was well supported by Mohammad Imran Jr, Faisal Akram, and Arif Yaqoob, who each claimed two wickets, while Mubassir Khan chipped in with one.

Chasing 108 runs, the Pakistan Shaheens encountered some early hiccups. Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for just 4 runs by Kane Richardson, putting the team under early pressure. Skipper Mohammad Haris contributed 17 runs off 13 balls before falling to Callum Stow, leaving the Shaheens in a precarious position.

However, Omair Bin Yousuf and Usman Khan steadied the innings with a composed partnership. Omair scored 25 runs off 21 balls before being dismissed by Tyler Pearson, while Tayyab Tahir struggled to get going and was removed by Richardson for 4 runs.

Usman Khan was the key player for the Shaheens, holding the innings together with a gritty 38 off 36 balls, which included a boundary and a six. However, his determined knock ended when Harry Dixon claimed his second wicket of the match.

In the end, Mubassir Khan (3) and Jahandad Khan (7) finished the match, successfully chasing down the target in the 18th over.