On a bright and sunny Tuesday evening at KGV, Renfrew 2nd XI continued their impressive T20 form with a dominant 8-wicket victory over Ferguslie 2nd XI in the Western Cup. Despite the pleasant sunshine at the start, a chilly breeze set in toward the end as daylight faded, adding a touch of drama under the dimming sky.

Ferguslie 2nd XI skipper Greg Shaw, leading his first T20 match at KGV, won the toss and chose to bat first on a green-tinged pitch, hoping to make the most of the available light. However, Renfrew's opening bowlers Osaf Hussain and Ilyas Mohammed set the tone early with a disciplined opening spell, making scoring difficult from the outset.

Only Daoud Tahir offered any resistance with the bat for Ferguslie, as wickets fell consistently throughout the innings. Renfrew’s bowlers kept the pressure on with sharp field placements and relentless accuracy. Tight spells from captain Sahil Chopra (2–0–12–1) and Taral Khasiya (3–0–18–1) ensured Ferguslie were restricted to just 95 runs in their 18 allotted overs. The visitors managed to hit only three boundaries in their entire innings, thanks to excellent fielding and disciplined bowling. Youngster Jatin and middle-overs specialist Uttam Bhowmick also impressed with their tidy spells.

In response, Renfrew opened with the in-form Indy Dulai, fresh off a half-century in the previous match, and T20 specialist Omarkhil. The pair launched a brisk opening stand of 46 runs in just 6.2 overs, setting a solid platform for the chase.

Ferguslie briefly sparked a comeback when Daoud Tahir struck twice in his first over, removing Dulai and Tasawar Ashraf, both caught at point by F. Smith. However, any hopes of a collapse were short-lived as Omarkhil took control of the game with a breathtaking display of power-hitting. He smashed three massive sixes, including a 90m+ monster hit, on his way to a match-winning unbeaten 50 off just 36 balls. His composed partner, J. Mucchala, contributed a steady 21 off 23 deliveries including 1 six and 2 fours, guiding the team to victory in just 13.3 overs.

During chase Renfrew batters racked up 9 fours and 4 sixes, collecting 60 runs from hitting boundaries, a remarkable display of controlled aggression that broke the back of the modest chase.

Renfrew’s star batter and skipper Sahil Chopra, all-rounder Taral Khasiya, and Zakir Shaik were not even required to bat, underlining the team’s dominance on the day.

Post-match, experienced campaigner Taral Khasiya shared his insights on the T20 format: “In games like these, especially at KGV, it’s crucial to go for boundaries rather than just ticking singles. You’ve got to cash in when the ball’s there—it’s all about making the most of the momentum,” he advised, drawing on years of experience.

With this win, Renfrew 2nd XI collected 2 valuable points and boosted their Net Run Rate (NRR) to 1.88, climbing to 4th place on the Western Cup table out of 23 teams.

They now look ahead to the next round, where they face local rivals Whitehaugh (Kelburne 2nd XI) on Tuesday, 13 May—back at KGV. A fierce contest awaits, with talent, tactics, and local pride all set to be tested.