Hyderabad, Sep 21: Janaka Gunaratne and Asanka Silva scalped three wickets each as Ruhunu Eleven defeated Leicestershire Foxes by four runs in a nail-biting finish to keep their hopes of qualifying for Champions League Twenty20 main round alive here today.
Riding on Dinesh Chandimal's strokeful 51-ball 62, Ruhunu set a competitive total of 160 for six after being asked to bat and then restricted Leicestershire to 156 for eight at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Veteran Pakistani Abdul Razzaq fought a lone battle for Leicestershire, hitting a superb 68 off 46 balls, studded with six fours and two sixes, even as wickets kept falling at regular intervals at the other end.
Though Leicestershire batsmen managed to come near the target but the Ruhunu bowlers had the last laugh.
Ruhunu had lost to Trinidad and Tobago in their first match on Monday.
Chasing 161 for a victory, Leicestershire made a strong start and looked like getting there as they brought up 81 for two in nine overs. But some sensible bowling and quick wickets by Ruhunu bowlers ended the England outfit's hopes.
Openers—Joshua Cobbs (15) and Razzaq—gave the Foxes a flying start. The pair took the team to 31 in 2.2 overs before Janoda removed the former. But that did not stop the Foxes run-riot as Razzaq and captain Andrew McDonald continued sending the opponent bowlers on a leather hunt.
McDonald hit three fours during his quickfire 24-run knock off 15 balls before Chandimal stumped him off the bowling of Silva.
Silva went on to add another wicket to his kitty in his very next over by removing Will Jefferson (3) to give a ray of hope to Ruhunu. PTI
