Adeel Malik’s experience helped Deccan Gladiators – MGM record an exciting 14-runs victory over Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress in the 14th match of the AVRPAY NEWS AJMAN T20 CUP powered By SKY EXCHANGE.NET at the Malek Stadium. Adeel Malik, who has played for Essex in the English county, Sailkot Stallions and Pakistan International Airlines, and is the brother of Pakistan Test star Shoaib Malik, drew from his experience and knowledge about the game in this keenly fought match. Adeel hit a timely 42 to lift his team out of trouble and take the score to 103 runs, and then take three crucial wickets for 16 to restrict Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress to 89 for 9.
Adeel, who had captained this team in the earlier matches, stepped aside for Malik Ghulam Mustafa to lead the team in this match. He marshaled his team’s bowling resources along with Ghulam Mustafa very well. His bowlers Ahmad Shafiq (2 for 13), Aayan Khan (2 for 14) and Saifullah Noor (2 for 16) rose to the occasion as expected of them. Though pacer Danish Qureshi did not get any wicket, he gave away just 14 runs from his four overs.
Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress won the toss and elected to bowl. Deccan Gladiators – MGM opener Ansar Khan fell to the fourth ball of the first over when right-arm pacer Zahid Ali clean bowled him for 2. Opener Hameed Khan too followed, caught by Zahid Ali at long on off left-arm spinner Mohammad Azhar for a duck in the second over. The third over saw Laxman Manjrekar depart clean bowled by under-19 player Nilansh Keshwani for 8. Nilansh also went on to trap next man Waqas Ali leg before for a duck in the fifth over.
Skipper Malik Ghulam Mustafa walked in with his team’s score reading 17 for 4 in 4.1 overs. Young Aayan Khan, who had hit 93 runs against West Indies in the recent Under-19 World Cup, was promoted up the batting order, and he held on. Half the side was back in the dug-out for 22 runs when Ghulam Mustafa got caught and bowled by Sultan Ahmed for a duck. Adeel Malik then joined Aayan Khan and took the score to 42 by the tenth over when Aayan who had hit two boundaries fell caught by Zahid Ali at wide mid-on off Mohammad Azhar for 17.
Mayank Chaudhry and Adeel Malik then decided to go for their shots despite the score reading 43 for 6 at the halfway mark. Malik and Chaudhy hit Sultan Ahmed for sixes in the 11th over to take 13 runs off that over. Mohammad Azhar continued to bowl tight and gave away just three runs in the 12th over. Umair Ali bowled a better over giving away just one run in the 13th over.
At his score of 13, Mayank Chaudhry swung at Umair Ali and got caught by Mohammad Azhar at square leg. Danish Qureshi joined Adeel Malik and took the score to 90 when Malik inside edged on to his wicket off Zahid Ali for 42. His 32-ball knock had four sixes. Saifullah Noor who joined Qureshi got run out for 2. Ahmed Shafiq took the score past the 100-run mark but Qureshi was caught brilliantly by Zahid Ali at long-off off Zawar Farid for 13. Thus Deccan Gladiators – MGM got restricted to 103 runs in 19.3 overs.
Chasing the easy target, Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress opener Syed Haider fell to the fifth ball of the first over from left-arm spinner Ahmed Shafiq for 1. Opener Abdul Shakoor too followed going for a mighty hit and top edged to Laxman Manjrekar off Aayan Khan for 6. Zawar Farid, playing across the line, got trapped leg before by Shafiq for 2.
Nilansh Keshwani, promoted up the batting order, joined Mohammad Usman. Aayan Khan, bowling a brilliant line and length clean bowled Nilansh through the gates for 7. At the halfway mark, Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress were 38 for 4 still needing another 66 runs. Pacer Danish Qureshi did not get any wicket but bowled tightly giving away just 14 runs from his four overs.
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| Adeel Malik receives his man of the match award from Muhammad Safiullah, Director Cricket Operations Ajman Cricket Council |
Mohammad Usman kept the score board moving along with Sardar Bahzad. At the score oo 47, Adeel Malik had Sardar Bahzad caught behind by wicketkeeper Mayank Chaudhry for 6. Skipper Umair Ali Khan lasted only five balls and got clean bowled by Saifullah Noor for 3. Deccan Gladiators – MGM took a firm grip on the match when Saifullah Noor also trapped next batsman Saif Janjua leg before for a duck. Then Mohammad Usman, who fought a lone battle, departed in the 15th over when he pulled to Ahmed Shafiq off Adeel Malik for 22.
Zahid Ali and Mohammad Azhar decided not to give up although Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress needed 31 runs off the last two overs. Adeel Malik, who bowled the 19th over, gave away only two runs, resulting in 29 runs to be scored in the last over.
Mohammad Azhar hit the first delivery of the last over from Ansar Khan for a six. He also hit the fourth ball for a boundary and remained unbeaten on 23. The last over yielded only 14 runs and Deccan Gladiators – MGM won by 14 runs.
Speaking about his allround show that won him the Man of the Match, Adeel Malik said: “We struggled in the first few games since our team combination did not go our way. Today the pitch was turning, so we used our spinners from one end very well and the pacers from the other end. As a senior it was my task to take up the responsibility and rise to the challenge.”
Brief scores:
Deccan Gladiators – MGM bt Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress by 14 runs. Deccan Gladiators 103 in 19.3 overs (Adeel Malik 42, Zahid Ali 2 for 30, Mohammad Azhar 2 for 15, Nilansh Keshwani 2 for 13) Delhi Bulls – Future Mattress 89 for 9 in 20 overs (Mohammad Usman 22, Mohammad Azhar 23n.o, Ahmad Shafiq 2 for 13, Aayan Khan 2 for 14, Saifullah Noor 2 for 16, Adeel Malik 3 for 16)
Man of the Match: Adeel Malik