Cork County Cricket Club celebrates a triumphant victory as the 1st XI clinched the Munster T20 Cup in a thrilling last-over showdown against County Kerry at Townspark in Midleton. With this win, they have secured their spot to represent the region in the upcoming All-Ireland T20 Cup next month. This title marks the club’s first triumph since the disrupted 2020 season due to Covid-19 and their sixth championship since the tournament’s inception in 2016.
In the final league match against Kerry, the opposition set a challenging target of 136 runs in their allotted 20 overs, with Farrukh Hussain and Khurram Iqbal leading the charge, each contributing 41 runs and combining for an impressive seven sixes. Awais Saghar also joined the six-hitting spree with two maximums in his score of 32.
Cork County’s bowlers showcased their skill with notable performances from Hamdullah Safi, Diarmuid Carey, and Kevin O’Sullivan, who claimed three wickets apiece.
In response, skipper Abubakar Saddique led from the front, delivering a solid start to the chase with an impressive 42 runs. He shared a crucial opening partnership of fifty runs with Ross Durity, who added 32 runs to the scoreboard. Sunil Gautam (24) and professional player Stefano Di Bartolomeo (20) also made valuable contributions as the team achieved victory with just two balls to spare.
With this title win, Cork County now joins Balbriggan in the All-Ireland last four. The Northern finals, which will determine the other two contenders, are scheduled for Sunday, July 23rd, creating anticipation for an exciting and fiercely competitive tournament.
2023 Senior T20 Blast Results
- UCC (A) – won by 9 wickets
- Limerick (A) – won by 10 runs
- Midleton (H) – won by 7 wickets
- County Galway (H) – won by 40 runs
- Harlequins (A) – won by 7 runs
- County Kerry (A) – won by 5 wickets