A GRAND SUCCESS! That’s what Abu Dhabi Season 6 was in a nutshell.
The Deccan Gladiators were crowned champions after power-packed cricketing action at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Nicholas Pooran-led Gladiators became the first franchise in ADT10 history to win back-to-back titles. Along with the Northern Warriors, they are only the second franchise to win two titles.
Meanwhile, New York Strikers and Morrisville Samp Army, two US-based franchises, made a blockbuster debut in the competition. While the Strikers, led by Kieron Pollard, finished runner-up, Samp Army won the third-place playoff.
It was sixes galore at the Zayed Cricket Stadium between November 23 and December 4. But let’s not forget some exceptional bowling spells that contributed equally to the cricketing extravaganza of the fastest format in Abu Dhabi.
Let’s take a look at some of the top moments from a mesmerising ADT10 Season 6. So strap your seatbelts to embark on this ride!
Top moments from ADT10 Season 6
Rampant Pooran smashes Shakib
In a battle of the captains in match no. 21, Deccan Gladiators’ Nicholas Pooran tonked Bangla Tigers’ Shakib Al Hasan for five sixes in an over at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Pooran set the tone for the over, smashing two sixes over the midwicket boundary. While another six followed on the offside, Shakib managed to pull off a dot ball. However, it wasn’t to derail Pooran, who hit a couple more over the boundary ropes to score 30 runs in the over.
Pooran remained unbeaten with 50 runs off only 16 balls to help the Gladiators chase down the target of 109 runs set by the Bangla Tigers with 23 balls to spare. Total domination!
Nicholas Pooran finished as the top run-getter in the Abu Dhabi T10 Season 6 with 345 runs in 10 matches. He also tonked 25 sixes, the most by a player in the campaign.
3 wickets, 1 run! Shiraz Ahmed’s thrilling final over
While the T10 format is known for its relentless hitting by the batters, UAE’s Shiraz Ahmed produced one of the most breathtaking overs in cricket’s shortest format.
On Day 2 of Season 6, when the Delhi Bulls faced Northern Warriors, Ahmed conceded only a single run in the final over to snap an unlikely coup.
Usman Khan and Sherfane Rutherford, two well-set batters, were at the crease with only seven required off the final over. After a single on the first ball of Ahmed’s over, Rutherford attempted to clear the deep-point boundary to seal a win but got caught.
On the fourth ball, Ahmed got Usman trapped on the pads to be declared LBW, courtesy of a searing yorker. The UAE pacer showcased his mettle on the final two deliveries with a wide delivery outside off, to earn another dot ball, and a low full toss which scalped him another wicket.
How the turntables! Shiraz Ahmed sealed a four-run victory for the Delhi Bulls.
6,6,6,6! Tim David latches onto Luke Fletcher
The Bangla Tigers vs Delhi Bulls encounter on November 29 saw exceptional batting from both sides. While Iftikhar Ahmed’s 83 off 30 sealed the W for the Tigers, Tim David’s four consecutive sixes against Luke Fletcher caught the eye.
With an unassailable 39 runs needed off the last over for the Bulls, Tim David showcased some of his power-hitting abilities. After the first two balls, David smashed Fletcher for a couple of sixes from a fuller length, heaving them over the mid-wicket and long-on boundaries.
Despite changing to bowl two short-of-length deliveries, David continued with the same treatment, tonking them over mid-wicket to bring up his 50 off just 20 balls.
Tim David finished with the fifth-most sixes in the campaign, smashing 16 in seven matches.
3 wickets in 4 balls! Karim Janat stuns New York Strikers
Morrisville Samp Army’s Karim Janat sprinkled some magic on some otherwise average bowling performance against the New York Strikers. After conceding 64 in the first five overs, Janat picked three wickets in four deliveries, two in the sixth and one in the last over.
The Afghanistan medium pacer conceded just two runs on the first four balls of the sixth over. On the fifth, Janat’s full delivery restricted Eoin Morgan’s hitting arc, as he got caught at long-on. Then, a perfect in-swinging short ball to Kieron Pollard resulted in another wicket.
Meanwhile, Wahab Riaz smashed Janat for a boundary on the first ball of the final over, denying him a hat-trick. However, Janat mounted a strong comeback as Riaz hit the length delivery straight to the fielder.
Although his efforts reduced the Strikers to 110/8, Samp Army could not chase down the target, losing by 12 runs.
Cometh the moment, cometh the man! David Wiese lights up the final
Last but not least! David Wiese’s fearless batting against in-form Wahab Riaz in the final was one of the top moments of ADT10 Season 6.
After an underwhelming start to the final from the Deccan Gladiators batters, the responsibility of providing an explosive finish rested on Nicholas Pooran and David Wiese. While the duo lived up to the billing, Wiese’s onslaught against Riaz in the eighth over lifted the spirits.
Clearing the third-man fence on the first ball of the over, Wiese set for a big haul against Riaz. The Namibian all-rounder flicked the third ball way over deep square leg, followed by a bullet over long-on. Wiese cut away the penultimate ball for a couple, before guiding the ball beyond the backward point fielder for a four. Smashing 24 runs off Riaz, Wiese set up the Strikers’ big finish in style!
