HAMPSHIRE Hawks started their 2024 Global Super League flawlessly, as an inspired performance from Shan Masood led to a victory against Rangpur Riders.

The Kuwaiti-born cricketer scored 56 off 41 balls on his debut and Hawks ended their T20 innings on 132.

Riders managed to tie this score and Hampshire needed five from two in the super over decider, but Liam Dawson managed to strike the penultimate ball into the stands to seal the win with a six.

The game ended well past 2.30am in the UK, but at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, the Hawks were the ones who won it at the death.

Hampshire’s Chris Wood won the toss and decided to bat first, allowing Tom Prest and Ali Orr to open up, with the latter getting off the mark with a boundary.

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Riders’ Zak Chappell managed to remove Prest in his opening over, claiming career-best figures of 5-23.

That brought Pakistan men’s Test captain Shan Masood to the crease, who only arrived in Guyana on Tuesday.

The left-handed duo of Orr and Masood looked to rebuild, as the Hawks reached 35-2 at the end of the powerplay, with Masood looking at home on the slow and low pitch.

Hawks had 90 runs on the board with five overs to go, but Masood continue to show quality as he reached fifty on his Hawks debut by reverse sweeping Rishad Hossain for six.

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In their reply, tthe Riders got off to a quick start, reaching 46-0 in the fifth over before Danny Briggs struck to claim his first Hampshire wicket since 2015 when Steven Taylor leathered a drive but straight to the hands of Liam Dawson.

Just three runs off both the 18th and 19th overs brought the Hawks back into the game, with the Riders needing seven from the final six deliveries.

A fumble in the deep allowed the Riders to come back for two off the final delivery to put the scores level, sending the teams to a tie breaker.

Wood started well but was heaved over the leg side by Khushdil Shah as the Riders made 12, and James Fuller threatened to end the game quickly with a six off his first ball of the Hawks’ reply.

He made the Riders favourites as the Hawks needing five from two, but Liam Dawson heaved the penultimate ball into the stands to give his side a remarkable victory.