Daily Times

LAHORE: In a thrilling encounter between Worcestershire Rapids and Leicestershire Foxes in the Vitality Blast in UK on Monday, it was Usama Mir who stole the limelight with his exceptional all-round performance, overshadowing Naseem Shah’s impressive bowling display. The match began with Leicestershire Foxes opting to bat first, but they suffered an early setback as Naseem struck early by trapping Michael Bracewell lbw on just the third ball of the match. It was a promising start for Naseem, who showcased his skill and accuracy right from the beginning.

Naseem continued to make an impact as he also claimed the crucial wicket of Kashif Ali, who was the top scorer for Worcestershire Rapids with a fine knock of 69 runs off 44 balls. Naseem’s ability to take important wickets put his team in a favorable position, as they looked to restrict Rapids to a manageable total, courtesy of his figures of 2/32 in 4 overs. However, it was Mir’s turn to shine as he stepped up with a remarkable batting performance during the late stages of the innings. Mir displayed his batting prowess by playing an unbeaten cameo of 32 runs from just 15 balls, including two sixes and three fours. His quick-fire innings proved vital in providing Worcestershire Rapids with a much-needed late-order charge, helping them reach a competitive total of 183/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

Carrying forward the momentum, Mir then showcased his skills with the ball. He claimed the important wicket of Rishi Patel, who was holding the innings together for Leicestershire with a score of 42. Mir’s crucial breakthrough tilted the match further in favor of Worcestershire Rapids. In his next over, Mir trapped Arron Lilley lbw for 6, further denting the Foxes’ chances of chasing down the target. Mir finished his spell with impressive figures of 2/33 in his four overs. His consistent and disciplined bowling ensured that the opposition struggled to build any substantial partnerships, ultimately resulting in Leicestershire Foxes falling short of the target. Naseem was dismissed for a mere 2 runs in the match. As a result of Mir’s superb all-round performance and his contributions with both bat and ball, Rapids emerged victorious, defeating Leicestershire Foxes by a margin of 33 runs.