Toronto Nationals clinch GT20 title with eight-wicket win over Montreal Tigers

Jason Behrendorff's three-wicket haul and Andries Gous' half-century led the Toronto Nationals to a decisive victory over the defending champions, Montreal Tigers, in the GT20 Canada 2024 final.

After choosing to bowl, the Nationals put up a stellar performance, restricting the Tigers to a mere 96-9 in their allotted 20 overs.

Romario Shepherd set the tone early by dismissing Parveen Kumar for 6 in the second over. Behrendorff then took center stage, removing Gerhard Erasmus (2) and Tim Seifert (0) in quick succession before sending the Tigers' captain, Chris Lynn, back to the pavilion for just 3 runs. This left the Tigers reeling at 27-4 in just 4.3 overs.

The collapse continued as the Tigers slumped to 42-7, with only a gritty 46-run partnership between Corbin Bosch and Jaskaran Singh providing some resistance. Jatinderpal Matharu eventually broke this stand, dismissing Singh for 16 with the score at 88. Bosch top-scored with 35 from 33 balls before falling on the penultimate delivery of the innings.

Behrendorff finished with outstanding figures of 3-8, while Shepherd chipped in with two wickets. Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Nawaz, Nikhil Dutta, and Matharu each contributed with a wicket.

Chasing a modest target of 97, the Nationals stumbled early, losing both openers with just 12 runs on the board. However, Gous and Rassie van der Dussen steadied the ship, forging an 88-run partnership that sealed an eight-wicket victory in just 15 overs, clinching the GT20 Canada title.

Gous was the standout performer with a composed 58 off 49 balls, including eight boundaries, while Van der Dussen contributed 30 off 34.

For the Tigers, Azmatullah Omarzai and Bosch took one wicket each, but their efforts were in vain as the Nationals cruised to victory.