GT20 Canada: Montreal Tigers, Brampton Wolves register convincing victories

New Delhi [India], July 27 (ANI): Two high-scoring encounters lit up the CAA Centre in Brampton on the second day of North America's premier cricket league as defending champions the Montreal Tigers and Brampton Wolves registered convincing victories to open their campaign on a high in the fourth edition of the Global T20 Canada.

Back in the marquee competition after almost six years, Australia's David Warner, who recently retired from international cricket, displayed leadership qualities to lead the Brampton Wolves to a 59-run victory against last year's runners-up Surrey Jaguars, after defending champions Montreal Tigers lived up to their billing by handing Bangla Tigers Mississauga a 33-run defeat, as per a press release from Global T20 Canada.

Having been part of the inaugural edition of the GT20 Canada in 2018, Warner expressed his delight for getting the opportunity to return to the tournament and further enhance the excitement quotient. "Done with international cricket, GT20 gave me a nice opportunity to come back, and I am happy to be back here," Warner said.

Opening the innings with Canada's national team star Aaron Johnson (13 off 8 balls), the Aussie southpaw gave glimpses of his brutal best by slamming three boundaries for his 11-ball 15 before being sent back by his opposite number, Mohammed Nabi.

Thereafter, the Wolves' Scottish import George Munsey (69 off 44) came out all guns blazing to raise a 21-ball fifty and led the rebuilding process with Kobe Herft (13 off 10) by forging a 64-run partnership for the third wicket that saw the Wolves cruising to 99 by the ninth over of the innings.

The Jaguars managed to pull things back with the wickets of Herft and Munsey, who slammed five fours and four giant sixes, before Canada's rising star Akhil Kumar joined forces with Nick Hobson (16 not out) to add a quick-fire 52-run unbeaten stand that propelled the Wolves to a mammoth 198 for 6.

Akhil went back undefeated after smoking a 16-ball 34, laced with three fours and as many sixes before returning with the wicket of Kyle Mayers during the chase.

The Jaguars could never recover after losing half the side for 48 runs, and despite late resistance from the likes of Shreyas Movva (41 not out off 40), and Terrance Hinds (35 from 19), the team ended on the wrong side. They ended at 139/7 in their 20 overs.

-Montreal Tigers seize early momentum with 33-run win

In the first match of the day, Montreal Tigers gave their title defence a promising start with a dominant victory over the Bengal Tigers Mississauga. Asked to bat first, Montreal rode a strong batting display to notch up 189/6. Aayan Khan then spearheaded a disciplined bowling attack with figures of 4/40 to restrict Mississauga to 156/8.

Montreal captain Chris Lynn revived memories of his brutal form with the bat from last season when he smashed David Wiese for two sixes in the second over before departing off the same bowler. Thereafter, Tim Seifert (44 off 24 balls) and Ashton Agar (41 off 29) came up with an awesome display of power-hitting to take the Montreal Tigers past the 100-run mark in the 10th over.

Wiese, the most successful among the Bangla Tigers bowlers with 3/30, led the recovery for his side for a while before Canada national team star Dilpreet Bajwa (41 off 32) and Benjamin Manenti (40 off 23) ensured a healthy total for Montreal.

In reply, Rahmanullah Gurbaz helped Bangla Tigers recover from the early losses of Hazratullah Zazai and skipper Shakib Al Hasan, and rekindled some real hope among the fans with a power-packed knock of 64 off 39 balls, smashing six boundaries and five towering sixes along the way.

But once the Afghan was outfoxed by Agar, it became an uphill battle for the Bangla Tigers. (ANI)