Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress’s left-arm spinner Mohammad Azhar wrecked Northern Warriors – Defenders with a deadly five wicket spell to ensure his team an emphatic eight-wicket win in the sixth match of the AJMAN T20 CUP powered By SKY EXCHANGE.NET at the Malek Stadium.
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| Mohammad Azhar receives his Man of the Match award from Fayaz Ali, Director of Marketing Ajman Cricket Council |
Azhar wiped away the cream of Northern Warriors – Defenders batting by generating excellent turn and producing some unplayable deliveries. His spell of 5 for 24 from four overs resulted in Northern Warriors – Defenders being bowled out for 71 in 19.3 overs. Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress raced to victory in just 5.5 overs losing just two wickets.
Northern Warriors – Defenders had won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Farhan Babar fell to the third ball of the first over from Mohammad Azhar spooning an easy catch to Qamar Awan at square leg for 4. Opener Imran Od too followed in the next over clean bowled by Zahid Ali for 4. Worse was to follow when their star batsman Yasir Kaleem fell in the third over, caught by Mohammed Usman at covers off Mohammad Azhar for a duck. Mohammad Azhar struck again in the same over when he had Wajid Khan caught by Mohammed Usman for 4.
From 18 for 4, Abdur Rehman and Hamad Arshad took the score to 30 when Mohammad Azhar got Arshad stumped by wicketkeeper Abdul Shakoor for a duck. Mohamad Azhar picked his fifth wicket when he clean bowled Rizwan Amanat for 3. Abdur Rehman kept the score moving till he pulled Zohaib Zubair to Wasim Bari for 17 runs.
Saqib Mahmood and skipper Yasir Maharvi held on defending the deliveries than attempting runs. They took the score to 60 when Saqib Mahmood got out to a stupendous catch from Qamar Awan off Zohaib Zubair for 4. Next man Taimoor Bhatti played onto his wicket off Qamar Awan. Zahid Ali got last man Hassan Khalid out caught by Zawar Farid at mid-off. Thus Northern Warriors Defenders were bowled out for 71 in 19.3 overs.
Chasing the easy target, Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress openers Abdul Shakoor and Zawar Farid put on only 19 runs before Northern Warriors – Defenders skipper Yasir Maharvi hit the leg stump of Shakoor for 1. Zawar Farid batted fluently till he swept Maharvi into the hands of Farhan Babar at square leg for 26.
Qamar Awan and Mohammad Usman took their team quickly to the target. Usman hit Hamad Arshad for a six and a boundary in the fifth over. He then also hit Yasir Maharvi in the sixth over for a boundary, two sixes and another boundary. Usman remained unbeaten on 31 off just ten balls with three boundaries and three sixes well supported by Qamar Awan unbeaten on 13. Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress won in just 5.5 overs.
Speaking about his five-wicket spell that won him the Man of the Match award, Mohammad Azhar, said: “I have played in day-match conditions in Pakistan and that has helped me a lot. I get turn especially in day matches while but there could be dew in night matches. My captain also gave me the new ball as he knows I am useful as a spinner with the new ball and I used it well.”
Brief scores:
Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress bt Northern Warriors – Defenders by 8 wkts. Northern Warriors – Defenders 71 in 19.3 overs (Mohammad Azhar 5 for 24, Zahid Ali 2 for 10, Zohaib Zubair 2 for 13) Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress (Zawar Farid 26, Mohammad Usman 31n.o, Yasir Maharvi 2 for 30)
Man of the Match: Mohammad Azhar