HYDERABAD: Led from the front by Chris Harris (37, 5×4, 1×6), Hyderabad Heroes clinched a cliff-hanger against Dhaka Warriors here on Wednesday night.

With nine runs required off the last over, the home side’s skipper unleashed a six that scaled the arena’s roof. A flowing cover drive landed the spoils with two balls to spare. Earlier, Alok Kapali lit up the Lal Bahadur Stadium with the first ever century in the ICL.

Chasing 169 for victory, the Heroes lost batsmen at regular intervals. Abdul Razzaq sized up the Dhaka bowling on a firm and batsman-friendly strip, slamming two sixes and as many boundaries. When his mid-stump was uprooted by an angled Farhad Reza delivery, the Hyderabad innings was again in disarray.

The onus of the strike then fell on Stuart Binny, who picked up the gauntlet and cut loose. With Nicky Boje for company, the twosome seemed right on track till Binny was run out when returning for a second run.

Warriors made a wobbly start, losing wickets off the first and last deliveries in the opening over by Razzaq. Half-way through the contest, the Dhaka squad was reeling at 68 for five. With his bat raised like a tyrannical schoolmaster’s cane when taking strike, Kapali then put the Hyderabad attack to the sword.

He smashed five sixes and 11 boundaries as he waded into the attack.

Since he was severe on the spinners, Syed Sahabuddin was introduced from the far end, but the burly speedster was carted to and over the mid-wicket hoardings.

To make matters worse, Sahabuddin spilt a skier off Stuart Binny when Kapali was on 71.

The scores:

Dhaka Warriors 168 for nine (Alok Kapali 100; Nicky Boje three for 20, Abdul Razzaq three for 28) lost to Hyderabad Heroes 171 for six (Chris Harris 37 not out, Nicky Boje 31, Stuart Binny 30).

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