7:25 PM IST, 3:55 PM LOCAL TIME: Life rewards those who keep swinging, and cricket rewards those who swing at the right time. Did this game have everything a T20 should offer? Absolutely. JB Bruges posted a competitive 159/7 thanks to a classy 51 from Lahiru Milantha and a fluent 47 from Nikhil Chaudhary. Akcel United Brussels then turned the chase into a rollercoaster. They lost three wickets inside the first three overs, looked down and out, then stormed back through a breathtaking counterattack led by Thomas Rogers. Rain eventually had the final say, but with Brussels sitting comfortably at 124/4 after 12.5 overs, DLS confirmed a six-wicket victory and capped off a remarkable comeback.
Let's rewind a bit...
How did JB Bruges build their innings after an early setback? Not the ideal start. Colin Munro fell for just 1 in the very first over, with Sheldon Cottrell striking early. But Lahiru Milantha and Rassie van der Dussen quickly steadied the ship. The pair added 65 runs for the second wicket, the biggest partnership of the innings at that stage. Milantha mixed timing with aggression, while van der Dussen struck two fours and two sixes during his brisk 24 from 18 balls. At 67/2 in the eighth over, Bruges looked nicely placed to launch.
What happened during the middle overs of the first innings? Did Brussels fight back? They certainly did. Dale Phillips produced a crucial spell, first removing van der Dussen and then dismissing the well-set Milantha for 51 from 35 balls. Milantha's knock featured six fours and two sixes and brought up the innings' only fifty. Nikhil Chaudhary then assumed responsibility, rotating strike smartly while keeping the scoreboard moving. The drinks phase saw both teams sharing the momentum, with Bruges aiming for 170-plus and Brussels searching for breakthroughs.
Who won the death overs battle? The answer is probably neither side completely. Gulshan Jha injected fresh momentum with 21 off 13 balls, including three towering sixes. His 27-run stand with Nikhil Chaudhary revived the innings before Chris Greaves broke the partnership at 118/5. Khalid Ahmadi then removed Wayne Parnell, but Nikhil kept going. His excellent 47 from 36 balls carried Bruges into the final over before he fell at 153/7. Thomas Kaber smashed a six off the last ball, helping Bruges finish on 159/7, a total that looked challenging but not unbeatable.
Now... THE CHASE!!!
So, how did the chase begin? With fireworks. Then chaos. Jason Roy launched the innings with two boundaries as Brussels collected 10 from the opening over. But Wayne Parnell completely flipped the script in the second over. First, Roy departed for 9. Then Rilee Rossouw fell for a duck. When Alex Hales was caught and bowled by Aristides Karvelas for 10, Brussels had crashed to 19/3 inside the first three overs. Bruges had one hand firmly on the contest and sensed a famous collapse.
Who changed the game completely? Thomas Rogers. No debate. Rogers arrived and played one of the most explosive innings of the tournament. Several thick edges raced away for boundaries, but fortune often favours the brave. Alongside Andries Gous, he stitched together a stunning 76-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The Powerplay ended with Brussels flying at 57/3, an incredible recovery considering they had been 19/3. Gous provided calm with smart strike rotation, while Rogers supplied pure mayhem.
What was the decisive passage of play? The eighth over. Lalit Rajbanshi came under relentless pressure as Rogers unleashed three fours and a six in a brutal 20-run over. Suddenly, the asking rate had disappeared. Brussels reached 95/4 by the 9.4-over mark, but there was one final twist. Thomas Kaber struck with only his fourth delivery, cleaning up Rogers for a sensational 45 from 21 balls. Five runs short of a deserved fifty. One wicket that gave Bruges hope. One wicket that perhaps arrived a little too late.
Did Bruges have any route back after that breakthrough? Briefly. But Brussels remained in control. At the halfway stage, they were 96/4, needing only 64 more from the final ten overs. Gous continued to anchor the chase and brought stability after the Rogers storm. The chase crossed the 100-run mark in just 10.2 overs, underlining how quickly momentum had shifted. Dale Phillips joined in with an unbeaten 17 from 12 balls, and together they kept the required rate firmly under control.
And then came the weather. Could Bruges pray for one more twist? They could. But not enough. Rain arrived with Brussels on 124/4 after 12.5 overs. At that stage they needed only 36 runs from 43 deliveries, with Gous unbeaten on 37 and Phillips settled alongside him. The interruption refused to clear, the covers stayed on, and the DLS calculations confirmed what the scoreboard already suggested.
Akcel United Brussels were declared winners by six wickets. A chase built on resilience. A partnership built on courage.