Root calls for patience as Ahmed impresses again

Trent Bridge, The Hundred Men’s Competition

Birmingham Phoenix 111-9 (100 balls): Mousley 26 (25), Ahmed 3-15

Trent Rockets 113-7 (99 balls): Ahmed 37 (23), Bethell 2-22

Three wickets later, Rockets won.

Rehan Ahmed continued his excellent form in Trent Rockets’ three-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Trent Bridge, and Joe Root demanded patience from him and Rehan Ahmed.

As Phoenix were 111-9 on a slow pitch, leg-spinner Ahmed took an impeccable 3-15 to end the chase, which was broken by 37 balls from 23 balls at number three.

The only Rockets batter to break the boundary was him, who had previously hit five fours and one six, and he combined with Root, who had a 25-run run-a-ball, for 64 for the second wicket.

Ahmed’s wickets also increased his ranking to 10 in this year’s Hundred, and he has a 6.76 economy, which is second best among bowlers who have played more than four games, behind Jofra Archer.

England pitcher Root told Sky Sports, “To see how he has taken to this tournament, given the responsibility to bat at number three, he has thrived.”

He “has the whole package,” he claims. He has a range of hits that go everywhere. He will become more conversant with when and how to proceed.

Ahmed made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2022, becoming the youngest player to play for England. However, he hasn’t featured this year despite having played 20 more times in the same format.

In the Hundred, he has scored five centuries and taken 23 wickets for Leicestershire in Division Two, which has prompted him to make an appearance in the Ashes this winter.

In September, England’s white-ball squads will play one-day international and T20 matches against South Africa and Ireland.

He “added Root,” which is “a huge talent. He has the right attitude and works so hard.

He is 21 years old and will occasionally make mistakes.

He has excellent hands on the field and a lot of bat and ball range. He is improving as well in red-ball cricket.

Ahmed’s Rockets already had a shot at winning the Saturday elimination game, but Phoenix only managed to pull off a crushing defeat to finish second.

In his first game, Jacob Bethell caught reverse sweeping to backward point for a three-ball duck before Ahmed had Will Smeed bowled with a googly via an inside edge for 23 before the score came to a halt.

He made a third-wicket return with Benny Howell’s slog-sweeping to deep midwicket for three before Dan Mousley hit his sixth-wicket solo.

After Ahmed amazed with his bat, Rockets made a quick recovery by launching a 4-11 collapse.

England’s Bethell was left with six runs to defend from the final five balls when Ben Cox swept the final ball for four to win.

At 15:00 BST, the group stages of the women’s competition feature unbeaten Southern Brave taking on struggling Welsh Fire.

At 18:30 BST, the men’s game follows.