With sponsorship from Gujarat Tridents Cricket Club, Ghana’s Senior national team select sides triumphed over two expatriate teams B and C at the Achimota Cricket Oval A on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
The matches came as a necessity to enhance the performance of the national team players for future tournaments.
OBED XI Triumph Over Expat B
The morning game saw Obed XI defeat Expatriate Team B by 21 runs after 124/6 and 103/10 in 19.00.
Richmond Baaleri Jamal 40(51) and Judah Solomon 41(43) started well as openers, setting the tone for the victory. With the middle order struggling a bit and 19 extras, the 125 target was set, while Mukesh Mohan picked 4.0-0-12-2. The chase saw opener Dinesh Butola and 3rd man Raman Madhu exiting by great deliveries from Lee Nyarko and Kofi Bagabena in the first two overs.
A struggle for partnership was witnessed in the middle order, before Vasant Shinde 25(16) and Sanjay Pokhriyal 21*(31), restored the dignity for the team, hitting boundaries to reduce the required runs per number of balls left. An LBW on Vasant by Samson Kwesi Awe Awiah toned things down, while Sanjay did not get a perfect partner to chase the target.
Richmond Baaleri was adjudged Player of the match, as he took 3.0-0-12-1 in the bowling figures.
ISAAC XI DEFEATS EXPATS TEAM C
Later in the day, Isaac XI also engaged in another entertaining game against Expatriate Team C.
Scoring first once again, Richmond Baaleri 15(21) was this time dismissed earlier (6.4 over) by Suraj Prajapathi, while the partnership between Obed Harvey 34(38) and David Ateak 27(26) gave the Expats a huge task, while the likes of Theodore and captain Isaac Aboagye visited boundaries in their 3-minute stay each.
Elisha Frimpong and Lee Nyarko came to finish things off, ensuring a score of 153/7.
The Ghanaian lads tightened the game for the Expats C team, giving them no chance to open their arms, while Ananthu and Subhasis Ray could not score 20 runs together as openers. Kapil Butola 25(24) brought some vibe later on, but was dismissed even before the 10th over.
There was a quick fall of wickets till the 18th over, when Suraj Prajapathi was run out by Derrick Ateak (wk), in an attempt to make two runs from Prince Adotei’s delivery, wrapping up the innings in 73 minutes. With the Expats, scoring 100/10.
Obed Harvey took the lion share of the wickets (3.0-1-8-3) and won the player of the match accolade, while Isacc XI won the game by 53 runs.
The last match in this trial series is scheduled for January 4, 2026, where the Expat Team A, is expected to play another select side of the national team.
This is an all-important exercise that was orchestrated by the Cricket Operations Officer in collaboration with the Head Coach of the Senior National Team, RP Sharma and sponsored by Bharat Vasu.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
