THE battle for qualification for the knockout phase of the 2024 Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Delaware Champions League has picked up, with Pak Stars A aiming for the phase after overcoming Aga Khan SC by four wickets early this week.

The Pak Stars A bowlers put on an impressive display to neutralise the Aga Khan SC batsmen in the match at Annadil Burhani Oval in Dar es Salaam.

Aga Khan SC took the crease first, finishing with 127/8 in 20 overs with some of the batsmen slotted in at the top order playing a pivotal role in securing the figure.

There was a slight wobble in the club's quest for completing the batting time with a bigger total as opener Abhik Patwa suffered an early exit.

The otherwise key performer ended one run short of two digits, having been sent back by Pak Stars A bowler Younas Afridi.

Patwa's club was left reeling at 12-1 after 1.5 overs and it was down to his opening batting partner, Dhrumit Mehta, and the remainder of the batsmen to step up their game.

Fellow opening batsman Mehta was a bit resolute, given the youthful performer notched 28 runs.

Mehta propelled Aga Khan SC to 67-2 once the gifted cricketer was sent back close to halfway through the innings.

The other youthful cricketer, Jumanne Mohamed, put on a stellar showing to significantly boost the batting squad figure, nailing 49 runs.

He had his outfit reaching 112-5 with 15 balls left, making it a point that the outfit was all out to notch a formidable figure and ultimately end its losing streak.

Failure to get hold of batting collapse was once again a setback that Aga Khan SC found it difficult to get rid of, given the other batsmen were sent back in quick succession.

Middle-order performer Arslaan Premji was so far the cricketer with two digits, chipping in with 11 runs not out, as his teammates failed to repel Pak Stars A's bowlers.

Nine extras made up of eight wides and one leg bye somehow boosted Aga Khan SC's total.

Basit Raza (3-19) and Afridi (3-22) ruthlessly led Pak Stars A's bowling attack, seeing to it that Aga Khan SC ended up with an achievable figure.

In his four overs, Afridi completed his turn with a 5.50 economy rate, and his heroics were substantiated by taking the crucial wicket of Aga Khan SC batsman Mohamed.

Pak Stars A, led by Kashif Adnan, efficiently got down to the chase, posting 129/6 in a mere 9.4 overs.

The youthful Ivan Ismail gave Pak Stars A the batting edge with his stellar performance, ending with 45 runs.

Ismail's ruthlessness saw Pak Stars A reach 86-2 once he was dismissed after 32 balls, giving fellow cricketers a much-needed boost.

Nisar Ahmed, who opened the innings with Ismail, made his experience count after nailing 29 runs- blasting four fours and two sixes.

The other key performer, Mohamed Omary, battled to push Pak Stars A closer to triumph after garnering 25 runs.

A brief stay for reliable players Zafar Khan and Zamoyoni Ramadhan at the crease could hardly weaken Pak Stars A's resoluteness, given the middle-order cricketers lived up to expectations.

Hassan Raza solidly partnered with Mohammad Ali to have the batting team putting the match beyond Aga Khan SC's reach with calculated knocks.

Hassan made his way back with bat in hand, posting eight runs, and the same could be said of Ali as the cricketer garnered eight runs.

Azhaar Premji and Mehta put on a spirited bowling display for Aga Khan SC to keep Pak Stars A at bay, posting 2-30 and 2-28, respectively.

The duo's impressive showing, however, could hardly frustrate Pak Stars A's batting surge.

Ismail duly laid his hands on the Player of the Match prize for his batting heroics, which were crucial to Pak Stars A's qualification for the knockout phase.