A high scoring thriller between Sweden and hosts Germany was the highlight of day three of European sub-regional qualifier B today, with Norway and Jersey also recording wins.
Germany won the toss in the second game of the day and chose to bat first against Sweden. Ben Kohler-Cadmore (brother of England prospect Tom) and Venkatraman Ganesan added 66 in seven overs to start the innings, but the top scorer came later as Harmanjot Singh clubbed 70 from half as many balls. An unbeaten knock of 47 from 30 balls by Faisal Mubashir helped take the home side to a formidable total of 220-4.
Abdur Rahman Sudais (36 from 24 balls) and Choudry Share Ali (58 from 27) were the early run getters for Sweden, but the German bowlers were keeping on top of things, with the visitors on 160 when the eighth wicket fell in the sixteenth over.
Eight runs came from the next over, and then Samiullah Rahmani went ballistic. He hit Ghulam Ahmadi for three sixes in the 18th over, before Zahid Zadran kept things in check by conceding just five from the penultimate over.
Rahmani was on strike to start the final over, with 22 runs needed. He started 4, 6, 4 before taking a single from the fourth ball. Hamid Mahmood hit a four from the penultimate delivery, leaving three needed from the last, or two to send it to a super over. No runs came though as Rahmani was run out as they tried to scamper the runs.
Germany had won by just two runs, and it was the first time either side had reached 200 in men's T20Is.
Earlier, Norway had a straightforward win over Slovenia. Only one batter reached double figures as Slovenia were bowled out for 49. Anil Parmar and Raza Iqbal both took three wickets. Norway knocked off the required runs in just six overs to win by eight wickets.
The day ended with Jersey scoring 219-9 against Switzerland. Jonty Jenner smashed 67 from 30 balls and Charlie Brennan 52 from 25. Switzerland folded in reply, getting bowled out for 52 to lose by 167 runs. Ben Ward took four wickets for just six runs, whilst Nick Greenwood took 3-12.