Muralitharan finished with figures of 4-19 off his four overs

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Muttiah Muralitharan took four wickets and Brad Hodge smashed an unbeaten 65 as the Gemini Arabians crushed the Leo Lions by eight wickets in Dubai.

Lions captain Brian Lara would have been regretting his decision to bat first as the New Zealand duo of James Franklin and Scott Styris were the only batsmen to make decent contributions. Franklin scored 35 off 37 balls, which included one six, while Styris made 32.

Thanks to Franklin and Styris, the Lions managed to make 132/7 off their 20 overs.

Muralitharan was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Kyle Mills and Justin Kemp chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Chasing 133 to win, the Arabians lost skipper Virender Sehwag and Richard Levi early on before Hodge and Sangakkara finished things off with an unbeaten 105-run partnership, during which Hodge surpassed his half-century.

Hodge ended up finishing on 65 off 43 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes, while Sangakkara made 41 off 41 deliveries, which included three boundaries.

Hodge hammered five boundaries and two sixes during his unbeaten innings of 65

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Robin Peterson and Ramesh Powar claimed one wicket each.

Muralitharan was named Man of the Match.