2017 Shpageeza Cricket League
The 2017 season of the Shpageeza Cricket League (Pashto: شپږيزه کريکټ ليګ ۲۰۱۷), also known as SCL 5, was the fifth edition of the Shpageeza, a professional Twenty20 cricket league established by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) in 2013. The tournament featured the six teams that played in the previous season. The 2017 season was reported to be played from 18–28 July 2017, but took place in September 2017, with the Kabul International Cricket Ground hosting all the matches.[1]
| Dates | 11 September 2017 – 21 September 2017 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robin and playoffs |
| Host(s) |  Afghanistan |
| Champions | Band-e-Amir Dragons |
| Participants | 6 |
| Matches played | 19 |
| Player of the series | Karim Sadiq (Kabul Eagles) |
| Most runs | Asghar Afghan (Kabul Eagles) 250 |
| Most wickets | Zahir Khan (Mis Ainak Knights) 15 |
| Official website | www |
The player auction took place in May 2017.[2] Overseas players sold during the auction included Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal, Rumman Raees, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and Sabbir Rahman (Bangladesh), Sikandar Raza, Solomon Mire, Sean Williams and Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe) and Rayad Emrit (West Indies).[2] However, following a breakdown in relations between the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the PCB banned its players from taking part.[3] The Bangladesh players also withdrew. As a result of this, and the tournament moving from July to September, overseas players were redrafted.[4] Shortly before the tournament, Sean Williams decided not to travel to join up with Spin Ghar Tigers in order to work on his fitness.[5]
On 13 September 2017, during the match between Boost Defenders and Mis Ainak Knights, a suicide bomber detonated explosives at a checkpoint near the road leading to the stadium, killing three people.[6] The match was briefly halted, but soon resumed.[6] Following the blast, the South African and Zimbabwean cricket boards ordered their representatives to return home. However, most of the Zimbabwean players opted to remain and continue with the tournament, as did the majority of other overseas players, coaches, and commentators[7][8][9] such as Dean Jones who expressed his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.[10] This was the first edition of the tournament since the ICC granted it official Twenty20 status (originally it was given List A cricket status before the 50-over Ghazi Amanullah Khan Regional One Day Tournament was also recognised).[11][12]
Teams auction
For the first time in the history of the tournament, since its introduction in 2013 edition of Shpageeza Cricket League, the six teams are now franchise based team and are sold/owned for 3 years, by the winning bid franchises.
- Band-e-Amir Dragons is sold for US$150,000 to the Paragon Group, a logistics and supply services company.
- Spin Ghar Tigers is sold to Muslimyar Group for US$69,000.[13]
- Kabul Eagles is sold for US$89,000 to General Petroleum.
- Amo Sharks is sold to Al-Masafi Group for US$110,000.
- Mis Ainak Knights is sold for US$90,000 to Wazirzai Group.
- Boost Defenders is sold for US$80,000 to Arif Azim Group.
Squads
After the squads were announced,[4] Band-e-Amir Dragons added Tendai Chatara (Zimbabawe) and Ashan Priyanjan (Sri Lanka), while Boost Defenders added Abdul Razak (South Africa) and Johnathan Campbell (Zimbabwe) to their squads as overseas players.
Round-robin
Points table
| Team[14] | Pld | W | L | T | NRR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band-e-Amir Dragons | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +1.689 | 8 |
| Mis Ainak Knights | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +0.437 | 8 |
| Kabul Eagles | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +0.337 | 6 |
| Boost Defenders | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | –0.172 | 4 |
| Spin Ghar Tigers | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | –1.017 | 4 |
| Amo Sharks | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | –1.441 | 0 |
Fixtures
11 September 2017 Scorecard |
Boost Defenders 136/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Kabul Eagles 140/2 (17.2 overs) |
- Boost Defenders won the toss and elected to bat.
- Khaibar Omar, Shawkat Zaman (Kabul Eagles), Juma Gul, Tariq Stanikzai, Zia-ur-Rehman and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Boost Defenders) all made their T20 debuts.
11 September 2017 Scorecard |
Amo Sharks 159/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Spin Ghar Tigers 159/8 (20 overs) |
- Amo Sharks won the toss and elected to bat.
- Nasir Totakhil, Noor-ul-Haq, Tahir Khan (Amo Sharks), Younas Ahmadzai and Batin Shah (Spin Ghar Tigers) all made their T20 debuts.
12 September 2017 Scorecard |
Mis Ainak Knights 139/6 (20 overs) |
v |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 133 (18.5 overs) |
- Band-e-Amir Dragons won the toss and elected to field.
- Rahmat Shah, Shahidullah, Muslim Musa, Qasim Oryakhail (Band-e-Amir Dragons), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ihsanullah, Ryan Burl, Nasir Jamal, Ibrahim Zadran and Zahir Khan (Mis Ainak Knights) all made their T20 debuts.
12 September 2017 Scorecard |
Spin Ghar Tigers 193/6 (20 overs) |
v |
Boost Defenders 180/8 (20 overs) |
- Spin Ghar Tigers won the toss and elected to bat.
13 September 2017 Scorecard |
Amo Sharks 130/9 (20 overs) |
v |
Kabul Eagles 131/4 (17 overs) |
- Kabul Eagles won the toss and elected to field.
13 September 2017 Scorecard |
Boost Defenders 201/6 (20 overs) |
v |
Mis Ainak Knights 194/8 (20 overs) |
- Boost Defenders won the toss and elected to bat.
- Nasir Khan and Waheedullah Shafaq (Boost Defenders) both made their T20 debuts.
14 September 2017 Scorecard |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 162/9 (20 overs) |
v |
Spin Ghar Tigers 80 (14.3 overs) |
- Spin Ghar Tigers won the toss and elected to field.
- Samim Sultani and Ikram Ali Khil (Band-e-Amir Dragons) both made their T20 debuts.
14 September 2017 Scorecard |
Amo Sharks 111/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Mis Ainak Knights 112/2 (17.4 overs) |
- Amo Sharks won the toss and elected to bat.
- Fazal Zazai, Yousuf Zazai (Amo Sharks) and Darwish Rasooli (Mis Ainak Knights) all made their T20 debuts.
15 September 2017 Scorecard |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 154/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Boost Defenders 148/9 (20 overs) |
- Boost Defenders won the toss and elected to field.
- Johnathan Campbell, Munir Ahmad (Boost Defenders) and Wafadar (Band-e-Amir Dragons) all made their T20 debuts.
15 September 2017 Scorecard |
Spin Ghar Tigers 182/4 (20 overs) |
v |
Kabul Eagles 157/2 (16.1 overs) |
- Spin Ghar Tigers won the toss and elected to bat.
16 September 2017 Scorecard |
Kabul Eagles 146/8 (20 overs) |
v |
Mis Ainak Knights 152/8 (20 overs) |
- Mis Ainak Knights won the toss and elected to field.
- Imran Janat, Sayed Abdullah and Sayed Nasratullah (Kabul Eagles) all made their T20 debuts.
16 September 2017 Scorecard |
Boost Defenders 130/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Amo Sharks 66/6 (12 overs) |
- Boost Defenders won the toss and elected to bat.
- Nawab Khan and Imran Mohammadi (Amo Sharks) both made their T20 debuts.
17 September 2017 Scorecard |
Spin Ghar Tigers 130/9 (20 overs) |
v |
Mis Ainak Knights 132/3 (17.4 overs) |
- Mis Ainak Knights won the toss and elected to field.
- Haji Murad Muradi and Abdullah Adil (Spin Ghar Tigers) both made their T20 debuts.
17 September 2017 Scorecard |
Amo Sharks 102 (18.3 overs) |
v |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 105/1 (11.2 overs) |
- Band-e-Amir Dragons won the toss and elected to field.
- Perwez Malikzai, Dawlat Khan, Rahmatullah Sahaq (Amo Sharks) and Arif Khan (Band-e-Amir Dragons) all made their T20 debuts.
18 September 2017 Scorecard |
Kabul Eagles 133/9 (20 overs) |
v |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 136/5 (18.1 overs) |
- Kabul Eagles won the toss and elected to bat.
- Fitratullah Khawari (Band-e-Amir Dragons), Mohammad Ibrahim and Mohammad Sardar (Kabul Eagles) all made their T20 debuts.
Knockout-stage
Mis Ainak Knights 164/8 (20 overs) |
v |
Band-e-Amir Dragons 140 (19.1 overs) |
- Band-e-Amir Dragons won the toss and elected to field.
Boost Defenders 131/9 (20 overs) |
v |
Kabul Eagles 132/5 (19.4 overs) |
- Boost Defenders won the toss and elected to bat.
Band-e-Amir Dragons 182/3 (20 overs) |
v |
Kabul Eagles 168/3 (20 overs) |
- Kabul Eagles won the toss and elected to field.
- Javeed Khan (Band-e-Amir Dragons) and Qais Ahmad (Kabul Eagles) both made their T20 debuts.
Band-e-Amir Dragons 158/7 (20 overs) |
v |
Mis Ainak Knights 154/7 (20 overs) |
- Band-e-Amir Dragons won the toss and elected to bat.
References
- "SCL 2017, Shpageeza Cricket League T20 2017 Schedule, Fixtures, Timetable & Results". ESPN Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
- "Afghanistan's Shpageeza Cricket League's Auction done and dusted". CricTracker. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- "Pakistan bans its cricketers from playing in Afghanistan T20 league". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- "Shpageeza Cricket League 2017 Squads: Who are the players that have been roped in?". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- "Sean Williams opts out of the Afghanistan T20 league". CricTracker. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Afghan T20 League match resumes after blast in Kabul". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Zim players defy ZC to play in Afghanistan". Cricket 365. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- "Dean Jones, cricketers make narrow escape as blast kills 3 near Kabul stadium". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
- "Majority of Afghan T20 league's foreign contingent stays back after blast". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- Dean Jones (8 December 2018). "Big Bash League: Dean Jones on BBL star Rashid Khan and Afghanistan cricket; My brush with Islamic State". AthletesVoice. PureForm Golf. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- "Afghanistan domestic competitions awarded first-class and List A status". ESPN Cricinfo. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- "ICC Recognizes Afghanistan's Domestic ODI Tournament As List A League". Bakhtar News. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- "Shpageeza league teams auctioned at high prices amid rising domestic cricket in Afghanistan - Khaama Press (KP) - Afghan News Agency". www.khaama.com. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- "Points Table". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
External links
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