Razzaq and Harris help Heroes seal fifth spot

Hyderabad Heroes 179 for 3(Razzaq 67*, Harris 49*, Khirid 3-29) beat Mumbai Champs 154 for 6 (Khanolkar 51, Solanki 45) by 25 runs
Scorecard

An express 120-run stand between Abdul Razzaq and Chris Harris helped set up a 25-run victory for the Hyderabad Heroes over the Mumbai Champs in the fifth-place playoff match. For the Champs, captain Brian Lara failed again, managing only 15, in their unsuccessful pursuit of 180.

Opting to bat, the Heroes got off to a solid start with the openers putting on 50 at a run-a-ball. Medium-pacer Ranjit Khirid's triple-strike then rocked the Heroes, and brought to the crease Razzaq and Harris. The two set about dismantling the bowling and amassed 110 runs in the last eight overs as they put on the highest partnership in the tournament.

Harris(49*) set the tone for the partnership, flicking Suyash Burkul for a boundary and then clouting him for six over long-on. Razzaq (67*) then joined in, dishing out sixes at will. Even Khirid, who was the Champs' most effective bowler, was not spared as 16 runs were plundered off his final over. Nathan Astle's first two overs had been economical, but he was carted for 29 runs off his last two as the Heroes total ballooned to a stiff 179.

Despite losing Subhojit Paul early, the Champs' reply got off to a spirited start with Vikram Solanki treating former internationals Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood with disdain, blazing a 24-ball 45. After his dismissal, much depended on the marquee names in the line-up, Lara and Astle. Lara started brightly with two boundaries off his first two deliveries, but misread the line off a Nicky Boje long-hop to be stumped.

Harris and Boje put the shackles on the Champs, conceding only 38 runs off their 8 overs. Shreyas Khanolkar made a fighting 51 but three wickets fell in the space of four balls - including that of Astle, who had scratched around for a 21-ball 13 - to effectively settle the match.