Bangla Tigers- Karwan’s Ali Khan and Sagar Kalyan sparkled under the lights through spectacular half centuries to ensure a thrilling four-wicket win over Deccan Gladiators – MGM in the eighth match of the AJMAN T20 CUP powered By SKY EXCHANGE.NET at the Malek Stadium. They spearhead the run-chase after Deccan Gladiators – MGM had posted an impressive 174 for 7 in 20 overs through their skipper Adeel Malik’s breezy unbeaten 77 off 32 balls with seven boundaries and six sixers that went in vain.
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| Ali Khan receives the Man of the Match award from Huzaifa Ibrahim, Founder and President Parkinson’s UAE and Head of Organising Committee Friendship Cricket Cup |
Ali Khan remained unconquered on 60 off 41 balls with one boundary and five sixes after opener Sagar Kalyan set the momentum for the chase through a knock of 63 runs off 41 balls with five boundaries and four sixes. Bangla Tigers- Karwan won with three balls to spare with Mohammad Farooq chipping in with a timely unbeaten 24 off just nine balls that included two boundaries and two sixes. A total of 353 runs were scored in this match.
The intensely fought contest began with Bangla Tigers – Karwan winning the toss and electing to bowl. Deccan Gladiators – MGM opener Hameed Khan started by hitting Umaid Khan for a boundary in the first over, and in the second over too he picked a boundary off Sheraz Ahmed. However, Hameed did not stay long and off the fourth ball of the second over, he got bowled by Sheraz for 9. Mohammad Kaleem joined opener Ansar Khan, who scored three boundaries off Umaid Khan’s third over.
At the score of 32, Mohammad Kaleem got clean bowled by Fahad Nawaz for 3. Fayaz Shajahan started off by hitting Umaid Khan for a boundary on the leg side. Ansar Khan lifted Fahad Nawaz with tremendous power over long-on for a six. Deccan Gladiators-MGM reached the 50-run mark in 7.5 overs when Ansar Khan got caught at extra cover by Fahad Nawaz off Ameer Hamza for a run-a-ball 26 with three boundaries and a six. Five runs later, Fayaz Shahjahan too followed, lifting Fahad Nawaz into the hands of Puniya Mehra at long on for 10.
Waqas Ali joined Rahul Chopra, and by the halfway stage, Deccan Gladiators – MGM were 68 for 4. Babar Iqbal bowled a tight 11th over giving away just five runs. Though Waqas Ali hit Ameer Hamza for a boundary, only seven runs came off the 12th over. Rahul Chopra fell in the 14th over slashing Umaid Khan into the hands of Mohammad Farooq for 15. Waqas Ali and Chopra had put on 30 runs for the fifth wicket.
Skipper Adeel Malik who joined Waqas Ali, hit Mohammad Farooq for a six, a boundary and another six off the first three deliveries of the 15th over and took the total past the 100-run mark. Malik also hit Sheraz Ahmed into his team’s dug-out for a six. In the 17th over, Malik hit Babar Iqbal for three consecutive sixes to reach his half century in 19 balls. It was the fastest half century of this tournament.
Waqas Ali and Adeel Malik put on 59 runs for the sixth wicket before Waqas hit Ameer Hamza straight to Puniya Mehra at mid-wicket for 23. Danish Qureshi joined Malik, who continued to play his shots freely and took his team past the 150 run mark in the 19th. over. Puniya Mehra took his third catch when he caught Qureshi at the long-off fence off Fahad Nawaz.
In the last over bowled by Sheraz Ahmed, Adeel Malik went on to hit three boundaries, two of them off the last two deliveries of the innings, to remain unbeaten on 77.
Chasing a total of 174 for 7 needed a good start from Bengal Tigers-Karwan. Right-arm pacer Danish Qureshi bowled a brilliant opening over. Left-arm pacer Saifullah Noor, who bowled the second over, too generated good pace. In the third over, opener Furqan Khalil got run out by a brilliant direct hit from Aayan Khan at point for 7. Opener Sagar Kalyan hit Noor for three boundaries in the fourth over.
Young left-arm spinner Aayan Khan, who was introduced for the fifth over, had one-drop Fahad Nawaz caught by Adeel Malik at mid-off for 2. This brought in Ali Khan to the crease. Sagar Kalyan lifted the last delivery of Aayan Khan’s first over for a straight six. Ali Khan too picked a six off Aayan Khan in the seventh over. Adeel Malik introduced himself for the eighth over and gave away only five runs but Sagar Kalyan hit Aayan Khan for two consecutive sixes in the ninth over.
By the end of the tenth over, the pair began to take control of the match. Sagar Kalyan hit Ansar Khan and even Adeel Malik for sixes. In the 14th over, Saifullah Noor clean bowled Sagar Kalyan for 63. Thereafter all eyes were on Ali Khan to take Bangla Tigers – Karwan to the target.
At the score of 130, Fayyaz Ahmed got caught behind by wicketkeeper Rahul Chopra off Ahmad Shafiq for 9. Adeel Malik got rid of Ameer Hamza for 1 while Puniya Mehra was removed by Danish Qureshi.
That is when Mohammad Farooq rose to the challenge and provided support to Ali Khan. With 25 runs needed from the last two overs, Ali Khan hit Saifullah Noor for a six and took 13 runs off that over. Now 12 runs were needed off the last over. Mohammad Farooq hit the first ball from Ansar Khan for a six, the second one to the boundary, and the third delivery for a six to win the match with three balls to spare.
Speaking about his fighting knock that won him the Man of the Match award, Ali Khan said: “I had to play such a knock because the situation warranted that we score above eight runs an over. I backed myself and got those runs. We will try our best to reach the final and win it too since we have a good team to do that.”
Brief scores:
Bangla Tigers Karwan bt Deccan Gladiators – MGM by 4 wkts. Deccan Gladiators – MGM 174 for 7 in 20 overs (Ansar Khan 26. Waqas Ali 23, Adeel Malik 77n.o, Fahad Nawaz 3 for 29, Ameer Hamza 2 for 24) Bangla Tigers Karwan 179 for 6 in 19.3 overs (Sagar Kalyan 63, Ali Khan 60n.0, Mohammad Farooq 24n.o)
Man of the Match: Ali Khan