Sport | Cricket

Bungling Mumbai gifted fresh wicket to Hurricane Gayle

UAE vice-captain analyses how a bad decision helped Bangalore win

  • By K.R. Nayar, Chief Cricket Writer
  • Published: 00:01 May 29, 2011
  • Gulf News

Mohammad Tauqir, Vice-captain, UAE team
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
  • Mohammad Tauqir, Vice-captain, UAE team

Dubai: Mumbai made a blunder by electing to field after winning the toss against Bangalore, according to Mohammad Tauqir, the vice-captain of the UAE team.

"Mumbai gifted a fresh wicket to Chris Gayle and paid heavily for the blunder. To allow a batsman like Gayle, with a strike rate of 180 plus, to make first use of the wicket was indeed a serious mistake and he literally thanked Mumbai by hitting 27 runs in the very first over. He scored 89 runs in just 47 balls and took the game away from Mumbai. He not only mounted pressure on the bowlers but also fielders," said Tauqir, who made his one-day international debut for UAE against India and top scored with 55 runs before becoming a Sachin Tendulkar victim.

"Mumbai also suffered once again from lack of support from the other end to Tendulkar, who once again top scored with 40 runs.

Full flow

"Twenty20 is a batsman's game, but if a batsman like Gayle is in full flow all bowlers must make sure to give him less strike. This will be possible only by bowlers bowling to the field and also fielders making sure that he only takes a single. Gayle is one who can even hit a good ball for a six," said Tauqir, who is among the few UAE nationals who has established himself as an excellent cricketer.

"Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori was outstanding. Though he is in his 30s and is nursing an injury he proved to be a mentally tough cricketer."

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