ZAFAR Khan shone with the bat as Pak Stars A booked a place in the 2024 Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Delaware Champions League final with a six-wicket victory over Caravans in the last-four phase last weekend.

Pak Stars A were, therefore, slated to face Aces A in the showdown's final the same weekend.

Caravans won the toss and opted to bat in the semi-final at Annadil Burhani Oval, ending up with 158/6 in 20 overs - with seasoned cricketers playing a pivotal role in securing the total.

Caravans reached 25-1 after 15 balls following the dismissal of opener Praveen Puthanpurayil, who got out with 15 runs having been bowled by Pak Stars A's Hassan Raza.

The batting team moved to 53-3 as two more wickets fell within the opening six overs, forcing the other top-order batsmen to fight for control of the innings.

The other opener, Issa Safari, posted 19 runs before his dismissal, leaving the crease after the other top-order batsman, Hamisi, had experienced a short stay, having got out with five runs.

Senior all-rounder Kassim Nassor slotted in at number four, laid his hands on the bat and went on to have a stellar performance at the crease, grabbing 58 runs not out.

Skipper Jitin Singh, who has so far struggled to exhibit his virtuosity in the showdown, fought to regain his edge having scored 14 runs.

Caravans reached 86-5 upon Singh's dismissal in the 13th over. 

The batting team vainly battled to fight off the opponents' bowlers' pressure, having dropped two more wickets later in the innings.

The club, for that matter, had to pin its hopes on Nassor's experience to add more runs and conclude the batting time with a respectable total.

Youthful player Salmini Yusuph (27 runs not out) had Caravans mounting a late surge, as the performer forged a seventh-wicket stand with Nassor.

Nisar Ahmed ended with 2-15 and Younas Afridi chipped in with 2-41 in their respective four-over spells as Pak Stars A fought to prevent Caravans from amassing a huge total.

Needing 159 runs to come out victorious, Pak Stars A confidently chased Caravans' total to emerge victorious with two balls left whilst dropping four wickets.

They faced an unexpected early setback after a mere eight balls, as the opener, Ivan Ismail, left the crease with a mere eight runs.

Ismail had time to clear the boundary twice in his otherwise brief stay at the crease, leaving Pak Stars A at 20-1 following his dismissal.

His fellow opener Ahmed was ruthless at the crease, given the cricketer cracked balls all over the pitch and grabbed 35 runs.

Ahmed had Pak Stars A reaching 88-2 once the cricketer left the crease shortly before halfway through the innings.

Mohamed Omary, slotted in at number three, had Pak A zealously pushing for a successful chase as the cricketer scored 34 runs.

Omary had Pak Stars moving to 110-3 when he made his way back after 12.3 overs.

Khan thereafter took the crease and scored 51 runs not out, forging a fifth-wicket stand with Hassan Raza (15 runs not out) and ultimately keeping the game beyond Caravans' reach.

Sixteen extras made up of 10 wides, two leg byes and four byes- given away by Caravans- were further a boost to the Pak Stars A chase.

Nassor ended his bowling turn with 2-28 to end with the best bowling figure when Caravans fielded.

The experienced cricketer's efforts could hardly bail Caravans out, as Pak Stars A were uncompromising at the crease.

The TCA-organized tournament, involving Division A clubs, is one of the high-profile club events seeking to efficiently develop cricket locally.

Strikers, Pak Stars A, Delaware Upanga SC A, Aga Khan SC, Caravans, Aces A, and Lions A are the teams battling for the silverware in the 2024 TCA Delaware Champions League.