The T10 League at Sharjah began with a blast where the Eoin Morgan-led Kerala Kings played against Sarfraz Ahmed’s Bengal Tigers on December 14. The inaugural game of the tournament turned out to be a complete entertainer with Irish batsman Paul Stirling single-handedly winning the game for the Kings.
He played a swashbuckling knock of 66 runs off 27 balls and hit three sixes and 10 boundaries. Moreover, Stirling hit those three sixes on the trot off three consecutive balls in the 7th over. He also became the first batsman to score a fifty in this tournament.
The Kings were 56/2 when the South African speedster, Marchant de Lange was brought into the attack. After conceding three runs in the first three balls, de Lange was ready to bowl to Stirling.
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And then, here’s how the Irish opener destroyed the bowler’s economy rate:
First Six: Marchant de Lange delivers a short ball and Stirling hits it over the square leg region for a six.
Second Six: This time Marchant de Lange delivers a lower full toss. Stirling moves across and slaps the ball over long-off for another six.
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Third Six: Another short ball from de Lange outside the off-stump. Stirling moves away from the line and smashes it hard over the point region for yet another six.
These three sixes turned the game upside down for the Kings and they chased down the target of 87 runs in the next over itself. The Bengal Tigers were beaten by 8 wickets.
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Earlier in the game, Kerala Kings won the toss and opted to field first. From the Bengal Tigers, Andre Fletcher (32) and Johnson Charles (33) started well. Later, David Miller scored a fiery nine-ball 17 runs helping their team to put eight runs on the board.
