A superb unbeaten half century by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum (83) helped Otago Volts open the Champions League T20 on a winning note thrashing Faisalabad Wolves by eight wickets at Mohali on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest target of 140, Otaga were home with 13 balls to spare with Rutherford setting them on course with a cameo of 25.
McCullum paced his innings beautifully sharing an unbroken third wicket stand of 101-run with Derek de Boorder who was unbeaten on 30.
McCullum's 65-ball knock was studded with nine boundaries and two sixes.
OTAGO VOLTS INNINGS
Brendon slams Asad Ali over point for a boundary for the winning hit as Otago Volts make 142-2 in 17.5 overs.
Brendon smashes another boundary off Ajmal to midwicket. OT 133-2 in 17 overs.
Brendon is on fire lofting Asad for his second six followed by a straight driven boundary. OT 124-2 in 16 overs.
Otago are racing to victory with Brendon clubbing Khalid for a towering six. OT 111-2 in 15 overs.
Brendon completes his half century off 50 ball with six boundaries.
Brendon smashes Khalid back past him for a boundary.
Brendon is dropped on 41 by Asad Ali while De Boorder finds the gap at long for a boundary. OT 91-2 in 13 overs.
Adil goes 17 as De Boorder cracks him through the covers for another boundary. OT 84-2 in 12 overs.
Brendon thumps Adil through extra cover for a boundary.
De Boorder is turning it on swatting Adil for a six over extra cover.
Brendon gets another boundary with a reverse sweep off Ajmal due to some sloppy fielding. OT 67-2 in 11 overs.
Brendon gets a boundary off Shehzad with a reverse sweep. OT 56-2 in 8 overs.
Ajmal strikes in his first over as Rutherford's blistering knock comes to an end with Asif Ali takes a well judged catch in the deep. OT 41-2.
Hamish Rutherford c Asif Ali b Saeed Ajmal 25 (12b 1x4 3x6)
Rutherford is on fire thumping another six off Samiullah. OT 39-1 in 5 overs.
Rutherford smashes Shehzad for a six. OT 30-1 in 4 overs.
Rutherford greets Shehzad by smashing him over extra cover for a boundary.
Spin in introduced with Shehzad coming into the attack.
Rutherford sends Samiullah sailing over long off for a towering six. 18-1 in 3 overs.
Brendon McCullum smashes consecutive boundaries off Ali. 10-1 in 2 overs.
Samiullah strikes with his second delivery. OT 1-1 in 1 over.
Neil Broom c Khurram Shehzad b Samiullah Khan 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)
FAISALABAD WOLVES INNINGS
Misbah top scored with 46 off 34 balls hitting four boundaries and three sixes to lift Faisalabad Wolves to 139-8 in 20 overs.
Butler, McMillan and Neesham picked up two wicketsw apiece.
Ajmal gets a boundary with a scoop shot while Adil is run out in the last over.
Ehsan Adil run out 4 (3b 0x4 0x6)
Wagner removes Salman who edges behind. FW 127-7.
Mohammad Salman c de Boorder b Wagner 10 (6b 2x4 0x6)
Salman slams consecutive boundaries off Wagner steering to the point boundary and pulling to long leg.
Khalid slams Neesham over cover for a boundary but is dismissed in the same over. Fw 117-6
Imran Khalid c Wagner b Neesham 12 (9b 2x4 0x6)
Butler gets the big wicket of Misbah who plays all over a yorker. FW 108-5
Misbah-ul-Haq b Butler 46 (34b 4x4 3x6)
Misbah steers McMillian over point for a boundary to bring up the 100 of the innings. FW 102-4 in 16 overs.
Butler strikes as Shehzad slaps straight to Wagner at mid-off after adding 61 runs with Misbah for the fourth wicket. FW 95-4.
Khurram Shehzad c Wagner b Butler 27 (36b 3x4 0x6)
Misbah is on fire smashing two massive sixes and a boundary off Nathan McCullum who goes for 18. FW 88-3 in 14 overs.
Misbah whips Wagner to the midwicket fence. FW 70-3 in 13 overs.
Misbah hits the first six of the match sweeping Nathan McCullum over midwicket. FW 61-3 in 12 overs.
Misbah lofts Neesham to long off for his first boundary. FW 45-3 in 10 overs.
Left-arm spinner Beard into the attack now and bowls a tight over. Wolves 39-3 in 9 overs.
Ali takes the aerial route but fails to clear Beard at long on. Wolves 34-3.
Asif Ali c Beard b Neesham 14 (12b 3x4 0x6)
Shehzad cracks Wagner over extra cover for another boundary. Wolves 34-2 in 7 overs.
Shehzad cracks McMillan over extra cover for another boundary and gets another off a thick outside edge which flew to third man. Wolves 30-2 in 6 overs.
Shehzad gets his first boundary via an inside edge. Wolves 17-2 in 4 overs.
Waqas does not last long skying to Rutherford. Wolves 12-2.
Ali Waqas c Rutherford b McMillan 4 (11b 1x4 0x6)
Waqas flicks Butler to the fine leg fence for his first boundary. Wolves 11-1 in 3 overs.
McMillan strikes with his first delivery as Mahmood drives straight to Rutherford at point. Wolves 5-1
Ammar Mahmood c Rutherford b McMillan 5 (4b 1x4 0x6)
Mahmood slams the first ball of the match from Butler to the midwicket fence. Wolves 5-0 in 1 over.
Faisalabad Wolves captain Misbah ul Haq has won the toss and elected to bat first.
PLAYING XI
Faisalabad Wolves: Ali Waqas, Ammar Mahmood, Asif Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq, Khurram Shehzad, Imran Khalid, Mohammad Salman, Ehsan Adil, Saeed Ajmal, Asad Ali, Samiullah Khan
Otago: HD Rutherford, NT Broom, BB McCullum, AJ Redmond, JDS Neesham, NL McCullum, DC de Boorder, IG Butler, N Wagner, NB Beard, JM McMillan
Faisalabad Wolves will aim to put their visa woes behind them when they take on Otago Volts in the opening match of the Karbonn Smart CLT20 2013 Qualifiers at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali on Tuesday afternoon.
The Wolves led by Pakistan skipper Misbah ul Haq will be making their debut in the Champions League T20 whereas Volts are making their second appearance following their maiden appearance in 2009.
The Volts qualified to participate in the event by virtue of winning the HRV Cup 2012-13 – New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 competition – in January this year.
The Wolves, meanwhile won the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup – Pakistan’s domestic T20 competition – in March this year.
Apart from Misbah-ul-Haq, the Faisalabad Wolves, the second team from Pakistan after Sialkot Stallions to compete in the CLT20, have star off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in their ranks.
Otago Volts will be boosted by the IPL experience of McCullum brothers - Brendon and Nathan - during the tournament.