Mumbai Indians from India had to beat the New Zealand T20 champions to qualify for the main draw on net run rate.
Lahore Lions is now the first team from Pakistan to qualify for the main draw of the Champions League. Sialkot Stallions and Faisalabad Wolves were eliminated in the qualifiers in the early seasons.
The Pakistani domestic T20 champions had defeated Sri Lanka’s T20 champions Southern Express by 55 runs in their do-or-die encounter earlier.
Daniel Flynn won the toss and invited Mumbai to bat first.
The Indian domestic team was all out on 132 runs. The top order of the team did not contribute much but the lower order did manage to provide some resistance against the Districts bowlers.
Indians captain Kieron Pollard was the top scorer for the team with 31 runs followed by Shreyas Gopal’s knock of 24 runs. Lasith Malinga made 20 runs and Lendl Simmons contribute 13 runs.
Districts’ bowlers Tim Southee and Scott Styris grabbed three wickets each whereas Trent Boult and Scott Kuggleijn took one wicket each as well.
The Kiwi T20 champions, chasing a target of 133 runs, were rarely troubled by the Indian bowlers. Openers Anton Devcich and Kane Williamson once again made sure that the team remained unbeaten in the qualifying round.
Williamson, continuing his dominant form in the tournament, put up 53 runs from 36 balls comprising of seven boundaries and a six whereas Devcich put up 39 runs from 34 balls with four boundaries and a six to his name as well.
Daryl Mitchell scored 16 runs from 13 balls whereas Flynn contributed 13 runs from 16 balls.
Indians bowler Jaspreet Bumrah took two wickets whereas spinners Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha took one wicket each.
Scott Styris was named the Man of the Match.
The Kiwi champions had already qualified for the main draw of the competition. Mumbai Indians had to win the encounter to eliminate Lahore Lions from the running.
Lions have been placed in Group A of the competition along with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Superkings from India, Sunfoil Dolphins from South Africa and Perth Scorchers from Australia.
Northern Districts, on the other hand, will play against India’s Kings XI Punjab, Barbados Tridents from West Indies, Cape Cobras from South Africa and Hobart Hurricanes from Australia.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage of the competition.
