Mohali: Hobart Hurricanes produced a professional performance as they beat the Caribbean champions Barbados Tridents in convincing manner by 6 wickets to enter the semi-finals of the Oppo Champions League T20, here today.
In their final group league encounter against the Caribbean outfit, Hobart bowlers stuck to their task dismissing the opposition for a paltry 113 in 19.4 overs with left-arm slow bowler Xavier Doherty picking up four for 27.
In reply, Hobart were no tearing hurry as they chased down the target with 10 balls to spare. With 12 points from four games, Hobart Hurricanes confirmed one of the two semi-final spots from group B.
On a day when Sania Mirza entered the finals of the mixed doubles competition at the Asian Games in Incheon, his husband Shoaib Malik anchored his T20 team's chase to perfection with a responsible unbeaten knock of 39 off 35 balls with three boundaries.
Malik finished the match with a florish hitting successive boundaries through cover and mid-wicket off Ryad Emrit. He added 46 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket stand with Jonathan Wells (23 no). The Pakistani all-rounder rotated the strike well as he ran a lot of singles.
There were some minor jitters felt in the Hobart camp after they were reduced to 71 for four in the 13th over but with asking rate less than seven, it was never going to be a problem for the Aussies.
Earlier, the Tim Paine-led side bowled with a lot of heart with the trio of Doug Bollinger (2/27), Ben Hilfenhaus (2/14) and Doherty sharing the spoils.
While Bollinger and Hilfenhaus knocked off the top-order, Doherty with his left-arm slow orthodox spin scythed through the middle-order.
Only Jonathan Carter with 42 off 34 balls that had three fours and two sixes, could make some kind of contribution before he was caught at short fine leg trying a lap shot off the spinner. None of the other Barbados batsmen could even cross the 20-run mark.
