Austria Defeats Slovenia by 168 Runs in Final Match

The Slovenia tour of Austria 2025 concluded on Sunday, May 18, at Velden Cricket Ground in Latschach. The hosts dominated the series, defeating the visitors 4-0.

In the final match, the Slovenian bowlers restricted Austria to a total of 244 runs, which included 24 extras—one leg bye and 23 wides—reflecting occasional lapses in line and control from the bowlers. Despite the setbacks, the bowlers kept things tight, limiting boundaries and taking wickets to prevent Austria from building a much bigger total.

Austria’s top performers with the bat were Mansoor Safi and Karanbir Singh, who contributed 80 and 41 runs respectively. Umair Tariq chipped in with 32 runs from 22 deliveries at a strike rate of 145.45. Sudhakar Koppolu opened the bowling attack but did not pick up any wickets; he conceded 31 runs in 3 overs, recording an economy rate of 10.30. Taher Muhammad claimed two wickets, targeting the top-order batters.

Slovenia fell short of the target by 168 runs, managing only 76 runs in 15 overs. Austria’s bowlers kept things tight and relentless throughout, applying constant pressure that left the Slovenian batters struggling to build partnerships. Despite the pressure, Taher, Shahid Arshad, and Awais Ikram registered double-digit scores. Shahid top-scored with 24 runs off 22 balls. Karim Harris's stay at the crease was short-lived; he retired after scoring just one run from three balls.

Austria’s bowlers maintained disciplined bowling, giving away three extras. Aquib Javed and Umair Tariq led the charge by picking up two wickets each. Waqar Zalmai, Bilal Zalmai, Karanbir Singh, and Saad Cheema picked up a wicket each. Ebrahim Naseri was given the last over but went wicketless, conceding 11 runs. He was the only bowler to record the highest economy rate.