On the second day of the Global T20 Canada witnessed thrilling high-scoring matches as the defending champions Montreal Tigers and Brampton Wolves opened their campaigns with convincing victories at the CAA Centre in Brampton.
Returning to the GT20 Canada after nearly six years, Australian cricket legend David Warner, who recently retired from international cricket, showcased his leadership prowess by guiding the Brampton Wolves to a resounding 59-run victory over last year’s runners-up, the Surrey Jaguars. Earlier in the day, the Montreal Tigers demonstrated their championship mettle by defeating the Bangla Tigers Mississauga by 33 runs.
Warner, who participated in the inaugural edition of GT20 Canada in 2018, expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the tournament.
“Done with international cricket, GT20 gave me a nice opportunity to come back, and I’m happy to be back here,”
Warner stated.
Opening the innings alongside Canadian star Aaron Johnson (13 off 8 balls), Warner gave a glimpse of his aggressive style, hitting three boundaries in his 11-ball 15 before being dismissed by Mohammed Nabi. However, it was Scottish import George Munsey who stole the show for the Wolves. Munsey blasted a 21-ball fifty and amassed 69 runs off 44 balls, forming a crucial 64-run partnership with Kobe Herft (13 off 10) that took the Wolves to 99 by the ninth over.
Despite a brief setback with the wickets of Herft and Munsey, Canada’s rising star Akhil Kumar (34 not out off 16 balls) and Nick Hobson (16 not out) added an unbeaten 52-run stand to propel the Wolves to an imposing 198 for 6. Kumar also contributed with the ball, taking the wicket of Kyle Mayers during the Jaguars’ chase.
The Surrey Jaguars struggled after losing half their side for 48 runs. Despite late efforts from Shreyas Movva (41 not out off 40) and Terrance Hinds (35 off 19), the Jaguars fell short, ending their innings on 139 for 8.
In the first match of the day, the Montreal Tigers started their title defence on a strong note with a 33-run win over the Bangla Tigers Mississauga. Captain Chris Lynn led by example, smashing two sixes off David Wiese in the second over before being dismissed by the same bowler. Tim Seifert (44 off 24) and Ashton Agar (41 off 29) then powered the Tigers past the 100-run mark in the 10th over.
Wiese, the pick of the Bangla Tigers’ bowlers with 3/30, briefly stemmed the flow of runs before Dilpreet Bajwa (41 off 32) and Benjamin Manenti (40 off 23) ensured a competitive total of 189 for 6 for Montreal.
In response, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive 64 off 39 balls, featuring six boundaries and five sixes, gave the Bangla Tigers a fighting chance. However, once Agar dismissed Gurbaz, the Tigers’ chase faltered, ending at 156 for 8.
About GT20 Canada
The GT20 Canada is a prestigious event on the Canadian, North American, and global cricket calendar. The fourth edition of North America’s premier T20 league is scheduled to be played from July 25 to August 11 in Brampton, Ontario, continuing to provide a significant platform for showcasing the growth of cricket in the region.
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