The Ghana Cricket National Select side (Samson XI) on Sunday, January 4, 2026, wrapped up their 3-match trial matches with a 3-run victory in their 3rd game against the Expatriates Team A, at the Achimota Oval A.
Led this time by Samson Kwesi Awe Awiah, and so named Samson XI, the Ghanaians elected to bat first after winning the toss.
The captain opened the batting with youngster Richmond Baaleri Jamal but unfortunately recorded a golden duck; a catch by Shajahan Razak from the delivery of Srisurya Raj.
Samson XI struggled in the power play, scoring 29 runs for 2 wickets, with James Vifah also falling on the 3.2 over, a clean bowled from the delivery of also dismissed by Shajahan Razak. Obed Harvey 43(47) kept his wicket and had partnered the likes of Frank Baaleri, Isaac Otuafo Kwaku Aboagye, Michael Aboagye, Joseph Kwame Theodore, and Lee Nyarko, after Samson was dismissed by Kapil Jangir Kaka via an lbw on the 6.4 over.
Obed was 7 runs shy off, a half-century, as he suffered a run out by Devender Singh Malik (wk) on the 18.1 over, while Samson XI stood at 115/8. Lee Nyarko and Alex Osei had a good finishing partnership that gave the team 136 runs.
In the Second innings, one of the big hitters, Sukh Sangu was given an early shower on the 1.2 over, from Isaac Aboagye’s delivery, which was calmly caught by Alex Osei at Long on. Isaac was not done, as he dismissed fellow team mate Halim Niyaz Khan, on the 1.4 over, with another catch by Philip Yevugah at point.
Isaac and Lee Nyarko alternated 2 spells to limit the Expatriate Team A, while Vincent Ateak had his first over to wrap up the power play. The Expats lost 2 more wickets, a painful run out of Devender Singh Malik on the 3.3 over and an lbw on Rohit Malik 6(11) on the 4.4 over by Lee Nyarko.
Bharani Kumar Majji 14(19) and the highest batter Srisurya Raj 65*(48) lifted the hopes of the Expats, but the Ghanaians came back again, dismissing Bharani on the 11.6 over, while they stood at 67 runs.
Rahul Cherupoika 16(12), became another successful partner to Srisurya, scoring a boundary 6 and 4, to push them closer to the target; 109/7 after 18 overs. Yet Rahul left the scene on the 19.4 over via a run out, as they wanted 2 runs.
125/8 was the score after Rahul’s exit, and with 12 runs to win, Srisurya scored his 4th boundary 6 on the penultimate delivery by Isaac, and as they needed 1 more boundary six to win it, they managed 1 run, to lose the game by 3 runs.
Isaac Otuafo Kwaku Aboagye was adjudged player of the match in the tough last trial match, having taken 3.0-0-21-2.
Captain of both sides, admit it was a worthy challenge, and they would love to play more of such games.
The Ghanaian side had beaten the Expats Teams B & C on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
OBED XI beat Team B by 21 runs after 124/6 and 109/10 in 19 overs result while ISAAC XI cruised to a 53-run win, after 153/7 and 100/10.
Major Sponsor, Bharat Vasu, CEO of Gujarat Tridents, was also a happy man, seeing how competitive the game was.
Ghana is, however, preparing to host an African Qualifier in March 2026.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
