Raza shines as Pak Stars outclass Titans in cricket tourney

DAR ES SALAAM: HASSAN Raza made a magnificent all-round performance to lead Pak Stars to a dominant 113- run victory against Dar Indian Titans in the DC Super League 50 Overs Group A match on Sunday at Burhani Oval in Dar es Salaam.

Pak Stars posted a magnificent 291/8 in 50 overs, which proved too much for the Titans, who were bowled out for 178 in 42.4 overs.

Winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, Dar Indian Titans found themselves on the back foot as Raza took charge.

The star batsman anchored the Pak Stars innings with an invaluable 93 runs off 120 balls, forming the foundation for a strong total. Mohammad Ali added a steady 43 off 77 balls, while Basit Raza contributed 37 off 49 balls and Farhan Atiq chipped in with a quick-fire 21 off 18 balls.

However, it was Raza’s all-round brilliance that truly made the difference. After setting a strong total with the bat, Raza switched to his bowling duties and wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming three wickets for just 17 runs in his 7-over spell.

His crucial breakthroughs helped restrict the Titans’ chase, making it increasingly difficult for them to get ahead.

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Mohammad Ali also played a vital role with the ball, picking up two wickets. Younas Afridi, Muhammad Mudasser, Zamoyoni Ramadhani and Zafar Khan each claimed one wicket, ensuring that the Titans were unable to build any meaningful partnerships.

In reply, Dar Indian Titans struggled to get going, with only a few players showing resistance. Gurvinder Singh top-scored with 30 runs off 34 balls, while Ally Hafidh made 27 off 66 balls and Nyenje Hashim contributed 22 off 45 balls.

Despite their efforts, the Titans’ chase never gained momentum, and they were eventually bowled out for 178. Ravikant Sharma (24 off 30 balls) and Kishan Chandra (19 off 28 balls) added some late runs, but it was not enough to challenge the formidable Pak Stars total.

The Titans’ bowlers did try to fight back, with Ally Hafidh taking three wickets and Nyenje Hashim adding two. Farhaan Vohra and Divyansh Sain claimed one each, but their efforts were in vain as Pak Stars cruised to victory.

This win sees Pak Stars move up to third in the Group A standings, tied on points with league leaders Aga Khan SC and secondplaced Delaware Upanga SC. In contrast, Dar Indian Titans have now suffered three consecutive defeats and are still searching for their first points of the tournament, alongside Patel Brotherhood.