Injury-hit Nottinghamshire confirmed their place in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast after beating Leicestershire by four runs.
South African Wiaan Mulder’s career-best unbeaten 83 from 50 balls almost led the visitors to their target but two wickets each from Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Matt Carter and Calvin Harrison restricted them to 164 for eight.
Wicketkeeper Tom Moores top-scored for the second successive match for the Outlaws with 68 from 40 deliveries as the hosts set up an away tie with Somerset.
North Group winners Birmingham completed their campaign with a club-record seventh successive victory – and 11th in 14 matches – after beating Durham by eight runs at Edgbaston.
Although they were bowled out for 141 in the final over, with Rob Yates scoring 53, the moderate target proved beyond Durham as Henry Brookes claimed three for 15.
Lancashire also qualified with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Northamptonshire at Old Trafford which also ended the visitors’ qualification hopes.
Phil Salt hit a 51-ball 74 as the hosts chased down the Steelbacks’ 138 for seven with 20 balls to spare to set up a home tie against Surrey.
Mitchell Santner’s contribution with bat and ball helped book Worcestershire’s place in the quarters after hammering 64 in 46 balls in the visitors’ 222 for five.
He then claimed one for 28 in four overs as Derbyshire came up 28 runs shot despite Wayne Madsen making 63 from 32 balls in reply.
In the South Group defending champions Hampshire booked their place in the last eight thanks to a destructive performance from John Turner in an eight-wicket win over Gloucestershire.
The fast bowler took his Blast tally to 18 with three for 15 as Gloucestershire were restricted to 105.
James Vince’s eighth half-century of the season saw his side home with 33 balls to spare.
Feroze Khushi hit a six off the last ball as Essex snatched a last-gasp three-wicket win over Surrey.
Chasing 196 for victory, the visitors required eight from the final over but five singles put the pressure on Khusi (35 not out), who responded by hoisting the ball to long on where Chris Jordan could not prevent it dropping over the rope.
Bottom side Middlesex won just their third game of the campaign with a 49-run victory over Glamorgan as Ryan Higgins hit 71no off 36 balls to steer his side to a total of 200 and then claimed three for 20 runs, including two in two balls.
Glamorgan looked to be coasting to victory thanks to Kiran Carlson hitting the county’s fastest T20 half-century but when he was out for 77 off just 29 balls they lost all momentum.
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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