Hyderabad Heroes win ICL opener by 18 runs

Hyderabad: Defending champions Hyderabad Heroes started their campaign on a winning note defeating last year runners-up Lahore Badshahs by 18 runs in the inaugural match of the Indian Cricket League's second season, which was unfortunately marred by floodlight failure at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium on Friday.

Despite a 102-run partnership off just 70 balls between Ambati Rayudu and opener James Maher, Hyderabad Heroes only managed to set their opponents a moderate target of 166.

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Chasing the target, Lahore were on 30 for two in six overs, with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq batting on 9 and opener Imran Nazir unbeaten on 19, when the four floodlights went off without any prior warning, plunging the stadium into darkness.

After a 50-minute wait, the umpires declared Hyderabad Heroes the winner of the match by 18 runs based on the ICL’s version of the Duckworth-Lewis method - the VJD method.

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Earlier in the match, opener Abdul Razzaq launched Hyderabad's attack with a huge six over the backward point off Mohammad Sami in the fifth ball of the second over. But he returned to the pavilion tamely after being dismissed in the very next delivery.

Undeterred by the loss of Razzaq, Rayudu went on to make a 58 off 42 balls, while Maher supported him with an agile 41 off 44 balls.

The duo helped Hyderabad reach the 50-run mark in the seventh over as the duo rotated the strike with appreciative ease.

Rayadu, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, ripped through former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mustaq and blasted him for two successive shots over the boundary in the 12th over. His innings was adorned with five sixes and one boundary before he fell to Sami.

Maher, who struck three boundaries and one six, was sent back to the pavilion by Lahore Badshahs’ Naved-ul-Hasan in the 16th over.

The Lahore bowlers hit back towards the end of Hyderabad's innings by claiming four wickets in an equal number of overs. They, however, gave away six penalty runs thanks to their tardy over rate.

Sami grabbed two wickets for 36, while Naved also ended up with two wickets, for 33. All-rounder Azhar Mahmood chipped in with a wicket.

Later chasing 166 for victory, Lahore suffered two early jolts when Imran Farhat was dismissed by Abdul Razzaq in the very first over followed by Shahid Yousuf's wicket in the next over by Stuart Binny.

Skipper Inzamam, who put up a brave fight to avenge last year's defeat in the ICL finals, paired up with Nazir and was trying to arrest the downfall of his team, when the powercut took place, leading to application of the VJD methods.