Opening batsman Mohammed Shahzad and captain Asghar Stanikzai smashed half-centuries as Afghanistan defeated Scotland by 14 runs in the World Twenty20 on Tuesday.
Shahzad hit five fours and three sixes in a superb display of power hitting to make 61 off 39 balls, while Stanikzai’s unbeaten 50-ball knock of 55 helped Afghanistan reach 170 for five in the Group B match.
Scotland couldn’t capitalise on a solid opening stand of 84 runs off 53 balls between George Munsey (41) and Kyle Coetzer (40) to finish on 156 for five, with Afghanistan hitting back through leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who took 2-28.
SCORECARD
Afghanistan 170/5 (20/20 ov)
Shahzad 61, Stanikzai 55 n o; Evans 1-24, Watt 1-30
Scotland 86/2 (9.3/20 ov)
Munsey 41, Coetzer 40; Rashid 2-28
Afghanistan won by 14 runs
Read more:
[ Virat Kohli and India, can they be stopped? 2016 World T20 cricket predictions ]
[ ‘Now we are on the big stage’: Afghanistan cricket ready for next step at World T20 ]
Zimbabwebeat Afghanistan by 14 runs
NAGPUR // Opener Vusi Sibanda struck a fluent half-century to help Zimbabwe defeat a scandal-hit Hong Kong by 14 runs in the opening group encounter of the World T20 in Nagpur Tuesday.
Stung by a corruption charge prior to the start of the sixth edition of the tournament, Hong Kong had their moments in the game but failed to capitalise.
Electing to field, Hong Kong’s bowlers made early inroads but Sibanda held fort with a 46-ball 59 to guide his side to 158 for eight.
Sibanda’s 61-run fifth wicket partnership with Malcolm Waller and a late blitz by Elton Chigumbura ensured the total remained beyond the grasp of Hong Kong who in turn could only manage 144 for six in their 20 overs.
The Tanwir Afzal-led side lost a couple of early wickets, but opener Jamie Atkinson put up some fight with a gutsy 53 off 44 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes.
A late flourish by Afzal (31 not out) gave the team some hope but the ever-increasing run rate proved too much for a side participating in just its second World T20.
Hong Kong’s preparations were badly hit by the suspension of their all-rounder Irfan Ahmed in January as part of an continuing corruption investigation and the opening day loss has only added salt to their wounds.
Among from the positives that Hong Kong could gather from the outing was their near-perfect fielding that forced three run-outs and yielded some good catches in the Zimbabwe innings.
Other Group B members Afghanistan and Scotland are up next in the second game of the day.
SCORECARD
Zimbabwe 158/8 (20/20 ov)
Sibanda 59, Chigumbura 30 n o; Afzal 2-19, Aizaz 2-33
Hong Kong 144/6 (20.0/20 ov)
Atkinson 53, Afzal 31 n o; Tiripano 2-27, Chatara 2-28
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The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
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