Irfan trumps Yusuf and Misbah-Afridi sizzle as New York seal top spot

New York Warriors strung together a batting exhibition through stunning cameos to take their side to a mammoth total of 139 for 6 that set up their 33-run win and the first Qualifier against California Knights. Morrisville Unity, in response, relied on the promising innings of Shehan Jayasuriya but fell well short, and will play the Eliminator against Texas Chargers after finishing fourth.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Misbah-ul-Haq combined to share eight sixes and four fours to forge a 74-run third-wicket partnership off just 27 balls. Shahid Afridi then found three fours and one six before Sreesanth dismissed him in the final over to finish with 3 for 25.

Along with Obus Pienaar, Shehan went hard against Abdur Rehman, and continued to keep his team at par in the chase by hitting Jerome Taylor for two fours and a six in the fifth over. When Morrisville needed 58 off 18, Sohail Khan produced six yorkers to all but seal the game. The 52-run partnership ended in the ninth over and the chase fizzled out.

Riding on the back of performances from Ben Dunk and Imran Khan, Texas Chargers clinched a 22-run victory over Atlanta Riders. Dunk smashed 53 runs off 22 balls, while Imran bagged four wickets and gave away just two runs in his two overs.

Texas were quick off the blocks when Mukhtar Ahmed hit Kamrul Islam for a four and two consecutive sixes before Harmeet Singh had Mukhtar caught for 17 in the second over.

Dunk had already started well and accelerated further in the fourth over by hitting Rayad Emrit for three fours and a six in a 24-run over. Dunk blazed to a 20-ball fifty despite the fall of wickets at the other end. After his dismissal, the unbeaten pair of Darren Steven and Phil Mustard dished out another 25 runs in the final two overs.

Robin Uthappa was out first ball in the chase, to Sohail Tanvir. In the second over, Imran rattled Atlanta's top order by dismissing Nasir Hossain, Hamilton Masakadza and Zunaed Siddique with a triple-wicket maiden. Lendl Simmons and Hammad Azam threatened to punish Texas after that wicket, but Pragyan Ojha's dismissal of Simmons in the fifth over took the sting out of the chase, and gave Texas a playoff spot.

New Jersey Triton's playoff hopes ended after Irfan Pathan's dazzling batting performance handed California Knights a third consecutive win in a five-over clash. Irfan scored an unbeaten 31 off 13 to lift California into second place with a 24-run win.

Ashley Nurse started California's innings with a six on the first ball, while Aaron Finch smashed a couple of fours for a 21-run first over. Finch would eventually fall for 19 off seven but Nurse continued to be the aggressor.

Nurse then attacked Abhimanyu Mithun in the third over while his new batting partner, Irfan, took time to settle before crashing RP Singh for boundaries followed by an onslaught off Chris Barnwell to finish the innings on 76 for 1 with a 19-run over.

New Jersey were derailed early in the chase when Pawan Suyal dismissed Yusuf Pathan on the second delivery of the opening over. Barnwell, however, kept the run rate high with his occasional boundaries.

California ensured they kept the scoring rate in control thanks to Peter Siddle's tight spell. Even though Barnwell would later hit Irfan for a four and a six off consecutive deliveries in the fourth over, he fell to Ben Laughlin for 29 off 15 and the chase proved to be too tough for New Jersey.