BSL Nights 2020 - Week 1 Recaps

Medina vs Damascus

 With everyone coming off an extra long offseason, everyone was happy to be out but a lot of us had some rust to shed. Damascus was the home team and took the field first while Medina got ready to put up some runs. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out that way as Damascus quickly shut them down and in return put up a mercy inning. Down 7 runs, Medina wasn’t too happy but they knew the game was just getting started.  While Medina`s top order struggled to get going right off the bat, their middle and bottom of the lineup were heating up. Imran Qureshi had a monster day as he Smashed 2 bombs over the fence bringing in a total of 5 RBI`s, and a walk. While Imran was tearing things up for Medina, Safwan Khan was equally dangerous on the night smashing 2 HR`s of his own along with 6 RBI`s. After a few good innings the game turned in Medina`s favour as their bats caught fire and were ahead by 4 runs going into the final frame. DMC had a great 7th inning as their batters loaded the bases just in time for Imran Merchant to walk up and smoke a grand slam putting DMC in a position to close out the game. With 1 out remaining, DMC needed 1 run to win but Medina couldn’t get the out they so desperately needed to keep the game tied. Damascus takes this one in an exciting walk off victory.  A few highlights to mention as there were some fantastic plays by many individuals.

• Safwan had some nice grabs in the outfield saving a bunch of runs and hitting 2 big HR’s
• Fawad Shaikh made an unbelievable catch near the end of the game which saved a few runs and kept Medina in the game
• Aslam Abdullah had a big double in RF
• Imran Qureshi with 2 HR’s and a walk
• Chaudhry brothers trading HR’s
• Imran Merchant’s game tying grand slam in the final inning
• Omar Khan, Aatif Parvez and Fawad Shaikh making great contact at the plate

 

Medina vs Cordoba
 Cordoba was just coming a walk off victory while Medina was coming off a walk off loss hoping to turn things around against a stacked Cordoba squad. With Medina being the away team they batter first and quickly took advantage of a 3 run smash job from Omer “Shuffle Master“ Chaudhry.  After 2 innings Medina was up 10-1 and was looking to continue that momentum but Cordoba had other plans as they turned around and put 6 runs in the following inning cutting the lead to 3 but Medina’s batting lineup has proven to be resilient as the entire batting lineup played their game and continued to pour in runs. Imran “the sledge hammer” Qureshi continued his dominance as he launched another HR into deep space (or the dark bushes.. point is he lost the ball) and after reaching the HR limit, he adjusted and started smashing base hits. I don’t know what he’s eating these days but captain Kala just ordered 10 boxes of it! Aslam Abdullah had a great Debut as he went 3 for 4 this game with an RBI. Medina was sitting comfortably with a 19-8 lead after 4 periods but their defense was starting to make mistakes allowing Cordoba to slowly close the gap. In the final inning Medina was up 20-10 and all they had to do was shut the home team down and pick up an easy win. We all know that the defending champs Cordoba have a lot of chemistry and with the core they have, and they are always in the game. With their top coming up, Cordoba was starting to capitalize on a few dropped catches and other minor errors as they started closing the gap in this open inning. Ahmed “Crazy” Ammad hit 3 fly balls this without clearing the fence in this game (very odd) but each time the fielder misplayed the ball allowing him to pick up a double. Yusuf Chaudhry then stepped into a monster HR down CF closing the gap to 4 runs. With 2 outs there was only so much they could push as Medinas was able to stop Cordoba dead in their tracks and pick up the much needed victory.
 
Highlights:

• Imran Qureshi – 3/3 and a HR
• Omer Chaudhry – 2 HR’s
• Aslam Abdullah – 3 for 4 and trying to catch Crazy’s long shot with his chest (u better ice that)
• Akif Waheed HR
• Yusuf Chaudhry’s HR in the final inning
• Bilal and Tanseer Khawaja’s slick pitching
• Zain Malik’s HR not a HR (Massive shot to LF only to go foul by a couple of feet)
• Zain Malik and IQ’s play at first base
• Sunny Murad constantly picking up the shallow outfield pop flies (bailing out the senior Chaudhry) and excellent play at SS
• Jay Ahmad - 5 for 7 on the day with 4 RBI's

 

Lahore vs Damascus

Both Lahore & Damascus were coming off intense walk off games with different outcomes; Lahore lost a heartbreaker by 1 while Damascus were riding a high coming back 5 in the last inning to win game 1.  Damascus went with their 2nd pitcher of the day, starting Abbas Allidina, while AGM Salman Ahmed took a breather after pitching great in game 1.  Through 2 innings, the game was tight and was tied at 2 apiece.  Unfortunately, that’s when the wheels fell off for Lahore and Damascus took control of the game, with 6, 7 and 6 runs in the next 3 innings.  The onslaught was headed by GM Safwan Khan who went 4-4 and drove in 5 RBI’s, upping his week 1 stats to a perfect 8-8 on the day, while 1st pick Hassan Chaudhry was also perfect and drove in 5 runs.  The player of the game for Damascus on this night though was none other than Hassan “Desert” Afzal who cranked out a monster homerun and drove in 4.  On the flip side, there were also positives to be taken from Lahore.  Newcomers Arsalaan Abdullah and Saad Ibrahim went perfect at the plate and will definitely help Lahore as they progress through the season.  Lahore was also playing without their big bat, as Salim Jaichi was forced to sit this one out with an injury.  Unfortunately, after 5 innings, Damascus had run up the score and the game was called due to the mercy rule as Lahore dropped this game 21-4.  Lahore ends week 1 with 2 losses while Damascus comes away with 2 wins.  There is still lots of season left so both teams shouldn’t read too much into this week’s scores, as history has shown, week 1 means nothing with an entire season left to play.

• Safwan Kahn went 4-4 and hit another HR, driving in 4 RBI’s
• Hassan x 2 (Afzal & Chaudhry) both hit HR’s and drove in a combined 9 runs
• Imran Merchant was stellar at SS and hit a monster HR and drive in 3
• Abbas Allidina allowed only 4 ER’s in his pitching debut while also helping his own cause and batting a perfect 3-3
• Damscus’ top 2 batters Hatf Sohail & Riyad Ramjaun went 6-8 and ensured they were always on base with big batters behind them
• Arsalaan Abdullah & Saad Ibrahim were perfect at the plate in this game
• “Sir” Nirvaan Latif continued his hot hitting, cranking a HR and driving in 2

 

Lahore vs Cordoba

In one of our first games of the season Cordoba hosted a stacked Lahore squad hoping to get their first game off to a good start and that they did. Holding Lahore to a goose egg, Cordoba poured in 6 runs to start their season off right. Lahore responded by going on a 9-2 run holding on to a 9-8 lead after 3 periods. Not sure if something changed in the air but everyone stopped putting up runs and it seemed like a struggle to get anything going. Finally top of the 6th, Cordoba brought in the game tying game putting pressure on Lahore to break the tie and develop some sort of a lead. With just 1 run scored in that inning, Cordoba needed 1 to tie and another to taste victory and that they certainly did as Cordoba takes this game in an exciting walk off victory