BRAMPTON: Montreal Tigers booked their place into the final of the ongoing GT20 Canada, edging Vancouver Knights in Qualifier 2 by one wicket, courtesy explosive batting of Sherfane Rutherford and l Abbas Afridi five-for which included a hat-trick.

In the Qualifier 2 clash of GT20 Canada, Tigers put Knights into bat after winning the toss and bowled tight lengths from the start to keep Knights’ batters under check. They lost their first wicket in the 6th over at the score of 33.

Corbin Bosch joined Mohammad Rizwan and together they added 57 runs for the second wicket. They appeared firm on the crease before Abbas Afridi came back into the attack and stopped them in their tracks with a hat trick.

Abbas Afridi removed Corbin Bosch (36 off 28) with a good catch by Mohammad Waseem. Captain Rassie van der Dussen was then trapped leg before wicket. Najibullah Zadran also followed his captain, as he was caught behind by Srimantha Wijeyeratne.

Knights had their hopes intact with Mohammad Rizwan on the crease but he fell to Aayan Afzal Khan on the first ball of the next over.

After losing four wickets on consecutive deliveries, Harsh Thaker’s sensible knock of 26 off 21 helped the Knights reach a modest total of 137 runs in 20 overs for six wickets.

Abbas Afridi added another feather in his cap with the wicket of Fabian Allen to complete his five-fer.

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Tigers had a dismal start to their pursuit as four men walked back to the pavilion with only 29 runs on board.

However, Sherfane Rutherford spearheaded the run chase, adding 43 runs with Dipendra Singh Airee for the fifth wicket.

Airee was bowled by Corbin Bosch to break the flow of runs. Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite joined Rutherford but both went back to the pavilion adding only 25 runs.

Knights’ kept picking wickets to mount pressure on Tigers’ but they had no answer to Rutherford’s onslaught.

Needing 15 off the last over, Rutherford hit three consecutive sixes off Rayyan Pathan to guide his team to a memorable last-wicket triumph. Rutherford scored 48 off 34, with the help of two boundaries and three aforementioned sixes.

Junaid Siddique picked four wickets for 22 runs, while Fabian Allen and Corbin Bosch picked two wickets each in the losing cause.

Montreal Tigers will face the winners of Qualifier 1 Surrey Jaguars in the final of GT20 Canada tonight in Brampton.

READ: Surrey Jaguars storm into the GT20 final as Knights falter