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New York Strikers’ opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s knock of 41 and Sunil Narine’s spell of 2 for 16 pushed Team Abu Dhabi to their sixth defeat in six matches through a 24 runs win in the 22nd match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Though Abu Dhabi won the toss and elected to bowl, Gurbaz took the match away from them scoring 41 runs off 26 balls with eight boundaries and putting on a 62 runs opening partnership in 5.4 overs with Muhammad Waseem (23). Noor Ahmed bowled brilliantly to take three wickets for 23 runs but New York managed a total of 110 for 5 in 10 overs.
Abu Dhabi batters once again failed to take up the challenge. Except for Asif Khan who hit 39 runs off 20 balls with four sixes and two boundaries and opener Kyle Mayers (22) none of the other batters played any big shots. Sunil Narine lead the tight bowling with two wickets for 16 runs. New York Strikers moved to the second slot with this victory with eight points.
Brief scores
New York Strikers bt Team Abu Dhabi by 24 runs. New York Strikers 110 for 5 in 10 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 41, Muhammad Waseem 23, Noor Ahmad 3 for 23) Team Abu Dhabi 86 for 5 in 10 overs (Kyle Mayers 22, Asif Khan 39, Sunil Narine 2 for 16)
Player of the Match: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Gurbaz steals the match away
Team Abu Dhabi won the toss and elected to field. New York Strikers openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Muhammad Waseem could pick only four runs off James Fuller’s first over. In the second over, Gurbaz edged Binura Fernando for a boundary to the third man. The big hits began only from the third over when Gurbaz, after hitting a boundary to deep point, saw Waseem hit a six over long-off to the fifth delivery of that over.
After that, Gurbaz cracked three consecutive boundaries off Roelof van der Merwe. The first two were hit through extra cover and the third past point. He also picked a boundary off Tymal Mill in the fifth over. The 50 runs opening partnership came in 4.5 overs.
Noor Ahmad gifted a five runs wide off the first ball of the sixth over. He also got hit by Waseem past point for a boundary. But Waseem fell to the fourth ball of that over getting caught by Sharafu off Noor Ahmad for 23. Skipper Dwaine Pretorius introduced himself for the seventh over and clean bowled Kusal Perera, who tried to play across the line, for 1. Later, Noor Ahmad got hit for two consecutive boundaries by Gurbaz off the first two balls. He then had Gurbaz out with the fourth ball stumped by Tom Banton for 41. His knock off 26 balls had eight boundaries. Noor Ahmad also got Mark Deyal out with the last ball of the over caught by Leus du Plooy at deep mid-wicket for 2.
Odean Smith inched this team towards the 100 run mark with a six over extra cover off Binura Fernando. Asif Ali, trying to hit the fourth ball of that over for a six, got caught by Van der Merwe at long-on for 4. Skipper Kieron Pollard hit the first ball he faced for a six over deep square leg off Fernando’s fifth delivery.
New York Strikers thus went past the 100 run mark in 9.3 overs. Smith remained unbeaten on 13 and Pollard unconquered on 8 to set a total of 110 for 5.
Abu Dhabi’s yet another dismal batting show
Abu Dhabi started their chase with opener Kyle Mayers picking a boundary past point off the last ball of the first over from Akeal Hosein. In the second over, Mayers could score only a boundary off Mohamad Amir.
Sunil Narine was introduced for the third over and he had opener Tom Banton caught by Waseem at deep mid-wicket for 1. Du Plooy lasted only three balls before getting caught behind by Gurbaz off Narine’s last delivery for a duck. Colin Ingam too quickly returned for a duck after getting caught by Karunaratne at deep square leg off Hosein’s third delivery of the third over.
Although UAE’s Asif Khan hit Hosein for a six, the score still read 22 for 3 in four overs. Narine, who bowled the fifth over, was hit by Khan for two consecutive sixes. The first was over cover and the next over mid-wicket. Abu Dhabi now needed 73 runs from the remaining five overs.
Khan hit his fourth six lifting Karunaratne over long-on. He cut Karunaratne’s fourth delivery over point for a boundary and the next over extra cover for another boundary to steer the total past the 50 run mark in 5.4 overs. Mayers hit Karunaratne’s last delivery over point for a six to take 23 runs off that over.
With 50 runs needed off 24 balls, UAE’s Muhammad Jawadullah bowled three consecutive dot balls to Khan. He also restrained Mayers and gave away just two runs in the seventh over.
The target now looked far away at 47 from 18 balls. Then Mayers got run out for 22 by a direct throw from Gurbaz to the bowler’s end. When Pollard dropped an easy catch from Asif on 39 off Amir.
Abu Dhabi needed 40 runs off the last 12 balls. Jawadullah bowled another brilliant ninth over giving just six runs. He had Asif hit to Waseem at mid-wicket for 39. His knock off 20 balls had two boundaries and four sixes.With 34 runs needed off the last six balls, Karunaratne gave away only nine runs and ensured a sixth defeat for Abu Dhabi.
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