Abu Dhabi: New York Strikers overcame a spirited battle against two-time champions Northern Warriors to win the ninth match of the Abu Dhabi T10 by three wickets at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.
A spirited bowling display by New York Strikers restricted Northern Warriors to 88 for 3 in 10 overs. However, the Warriors refused to surrender easily and fought till the end. Northern Warriors’ total of 88 was mainly through Colin Munro, who hit an unbeaten 44 off 27 balls with three boundaries and three sixes.
Though Strikers, last year’s finalists, thought it would be an easy win, wickets began to fall at regular intervals. Led by skipper Angelo Mathews, Abhimanyu Mithun and Tabraiz Shamsi, each claiming two wickets each, Northern Warriors almost pulled off an exciting win. However, Muhammad Waseem (23) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (22)’s knocks played a vital role to end Warrior’s unbeaten run after two consecutive victories.
Wobbly start
Put in to bat, Warriors’ openers Kennar Lewis and Hazratullah Zazai, who had put on a 106-run partnership during their record a 10-wicket win in the previous match against Team Abu Dhabi, lasted only five balls with Akeal Hosein having Lewis clean bowled.
Munro had a wobbly start, edging Mohammad Amir for his first boundary, but the South African slowly picked up the tempo, but still the Warriors were nowhere near their best with the scoreboard reading an unimpressive 34 for 1 at the halfway mark.
UAE pacer Muhammad Jawadullah made it even tougher by removing Zazai in the seventh over. Warriors crossed the 50-run mark in the eighth over, off Mohammed Amir, which turned the course of their innings with 18 runs coming off it. Another 18 off the ninth off Sunil Narine took the Warriors to 88 for 3 in 10 overs.
New York openers Waseem and Gurbaz began on a commanding note, moving to 35 for no loss by the end of the third over. South African left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi got the vital breakthrough when he had the UAE skipper caught at deep midwicket.
Wickets in quick succession
Sri Lankan Kusal Perrera and Gurbaz continued to keep the scoreboard ticking to go past the 50-run mark by the end of the fifth over. With just 36 needed off 30 balls, it was like a walk in the park for New York. But that was not to be.
The fall of Gurbaz to Shamsi set off panic among the New York batters, who lost skipper Kieron Pollard, Perera, Odean Smith and Asif Ali in quick succession.
New York needed 15 runs off 12 balls when West Indian all-rounder Suni Narine, in a hurry to complete the match early, went for a second big shot only to be dismissed by Jimmy Neesham. Hosein and Chamika Karunaratne ensured that there were no more alarms by taking their team home with five balls to spare.
Stunning show
In the second match of the day, USA team wicketkeeper Monank Patel starred in Morrisville Samp Army’s 35-run win over Team Abu Dhabi. Patel produced three stumping and took three catches to inflict third consecutive loss from three matches on Abu Dhabi.
Samp Army posted an impressive 118 for 5 through useful knocks from Faf du Plessis, Karim Janat and Jason Holder. Team Abu could muster only 83 for 8 with the former West Indian skipper Holder bagging three wickets for 12 runs and England all-rounder Moeen Ali with two wickets for four runs.
With 56 runs needed off the last 12 balls, Abu Dhabi’s Alishan Sharafu hit a boundary and a six off Salman Irshad in the ninth over. In the end Abu Dhabi could muster only 83 for 8 with Sharafu unbeaten on 18.
Brief scores:
New York Strikers bt Northern Warriors by 3 wkts. Northern Warriors 88 for 3 in 10 overs (Colin Munro 44) New York Strikers 92 for 7 in 9.1 overs (Muhammad Waseem 23, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 22, Angelo Mathews 2 for 16, Abhimanyu Mithun 2 for 18, Tabraiz Shamsi 2 for 11). Player of the Match: Sunil Narine.
Samp Army bt Team Abu Dhabi by 35 runs. Samp Army 118 for 5 in 10 overs (Faf du Plessis 29, Karim Janat 29, Jason Holder 29n.o, Tymal Mills 2 for 24) Team Abu Dhabi 83 for 8 in 10 overs (Jason Holder 3 for 12, Moeen Ali 2 for 4). Player of the Match: Monank Patel
