As the cricketing formats get shorter, the pace of scoring runs increases. Since the introduction of the 10-over format, cricket has become even faster. Scoring at a run rate of about 10 is no longer a safe option. In the National Cricket League Sixty Strikes tournament, New York Lions found their score of 89/6 in 60 balls well below par as Chicago CC secured a comprehensive victory by 8 wickets. Chicago barely required 6.4 overs (40 balls) to reach the target of 90 runs, with Australian batter Chris Lynn producing some fireworks in the middle.

Batting first, New York Lions saw former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez incur a 2-ball duck while former India star Suresh Raina also failed to get going, scoring 11 runs off 11 balls. Upul Tharanga (26 off 15) and Ben Cutting (36 off 21) did some damage with the ball to take their team to a total of 89 runs. Dominic Drakes and Asad Shafiq also incurred ducks in the middle.

Karthik Gatepalli was the pick of the bowlers for Chicago, bagging 3 wickets for 18 runs while Simon Harmer claimed 2 for 12.

Chasing the paltry target, Chicago lost Robin Uthappa early, for a 6-ball 13. However, Chris Lynn’s blitzkrieg was enough to decimate the New York side. He scored 43 runs off just 24 balls while skipper Mikyle Louis also produced a fine cameo of 5-ball 16 while remaining unbeaten.

Tabraiz Shamsi and Shourya Gaur picked one wicket apiece for the Lions in the game.

With the victory, Chicago climbed to the top of the NCL Sixty Strikes tournament, winning three of their first four games in the event.