By Ravendra Madholall

Toronto Nationals defeated Montreal Tigers handsomely by eight wickets and in the process claimed the 2024 Global T20 trophy last Sunday at the CAA Centre facility in Brampton, Ontario.

Toronto Nationals won the toss and invited the defending champion side to take first strike on a flat surface.

The decision to bowl first by Nationals was fully justified when they limited Montreal Tigers to a modest 96-9 from the allotted 20-overs. Toronto Nationals easily reached 97-2 with 30 balls remaining.

Andries Gous, the South Africa-born, hit an impressive, unbeaten 58 to lead the victory charge. The right-handed Gous struck eight fours during his 58-ball stay at the crease while he participated in a steady, unbroken 85-run stand with fellow South African Rassie van der Dussen, who compiled 32 runs.

Their chase had a disastrous start, having lost Captain and New Zealander Colin Munro for a duck via the leg-before route to pacer Azmatullah Omarzai. At no runs for one wicket, Unmukt Chand was comprehensively bowled by another seamer Corbin Bosch for 4 to leave Toronto Nationals wobbling on 12-2 before Gous and Dussen sealed the deal.

Earlier, Montreal Tigers struggled for momentum as they lost wickets quite rapidly. The main destroyer for Toronto Nationals was fast-bowler Jason Behrendrotff who finished with 3-8 from his maximum four overs.

His superb bowling spell earned him the player-of-the-match award. He got remarkable support from right-arm seamer and West Indian player Romario Shepherd, who took 2-20 off his allotted 4 overs as well.

They combined to leave Tigers tottering at 36-6 before Boush stabilized the innings with a defiant 35 batting at number 8. He was the top-scorer while Jaskaran Singh making 16.

Meanwhile, six teams participated again, the other four were: Vancouver Knight Riders, Surrey Jaguars, Bangla Tigers Mississauga and Brampton Wolves.

Witnessing the action was Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau.