Zaid Ahmad rips out middle
Zaid Ahmad’s burst through the middle overs turned the game on its head, and Sweden never let it back. Finland were bundled out for 116 in 14.5 overs, and Sweden’s chase was clinical: 117/1 in 11.1. Ajay Mundra set the tempo early and, once the target was reduced to a run-a-ball stroll, Sweden finished with 23 balls unused and nine wickets in hand.
Finland’s middle-overs collapse
The decisive phase was Finland’s middle overs, where wickets fell in clusters after a decent start. They reached 45/2 in the powerplay at 7.5 an over, but the innings unravelled to 71/8 across the middle phase despite scoring at 8.0. Zaid’s 2.5-over spell was the pivot: he kept striking, denying Finland any platform to launch and ensuring the “death” overs never arrived.
Standouts: Zaid, Mundra, Ahmed
Zaid Ahmad was the match’s defining figure, finishing with 4/20 in 2.5 overs and earning MVP for dismantling Finland’s middle order. Mundra’s 62 from 38 balls (SR 163) ensured the chase stayed ahead of the rate from the outset, while Saeed Ahmed’s 38 off 27 provided the perfect second hand in that match-winning partnership.
Mundra-Ahmed shut the door
Finland’s best resistance with the bat came through Faraaz Mehti Abbas, whose 43 off 25 kept them moving, and a 63-run partnership with Salonen briefly steadied the innings. But Sweden’s bowlers repeatedly broke momentum, and the chase offered little respite: Sweden blasted 63 without loss in the powerplay. The key moment came as Mundra and Saeed Ahmed stitched a 104-run stand, draining any pressure before a solitary wicket was all Finland could claim.



