Dubai: The second edition of Asianet Premier League Twenty20 tournament took off to a flying start with two centuries in the first matches of the event at the Sevens Rugby Cricket Ground.
Muhammadullah Khan and Muhammad Gayaz cracked centuries in Touchmate team’s emphatic 107-run win over University of Wollongong (Dubai) team.
Wollongong, playing outside an interuniversity tournament for exposure and experience, found the Touchmate opener too hard to dismiss as they piled up 222 for no loss in 20 overs. Wollongong were restricted to 115 for eight in 20 overs despite skipper Mohammad Shahzad Ilyas’s fighting 58 runs.
Khan’s unbeaten 108 had eight sixes and five fours and came from 62 balls while Gayaz’s unconquered 101 had seven sixes and eight boundaries and came off only 59 balls.
In a Group C match, Rig Power Technical Construction scored an eight-wicket win over RAK Insurance while the formidable Alubond Tigers did well to post 138 and defend it against Globelink West Star Shipping. Amjad Gul (27), Gulam Shabbir (27) and Rohan Mustafa (21) were the main scorers. UAE spinner Laxman Sreekumar (3 for 10) and Hari Prashanth (3 for 32) were the main wicket takers.
Globelink could muster only 100.
Man of the match Nasir Aziz (2 for 19) lead from the front backed by Sultan Ahmad (2 for 25) and Asif Mumtaz (2 for 20).
Brief scores
Touchmate bt University of Wollongong (Dubai) by 107 runs. Touchmate 222 for no loss in 20 overs (Muhammadullah Khan 108 n.o., Muhammad Gayaz 101 n.o.)
Wollongong 115 for 8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Shahzad Ilyas 58; Mohammad Shakeer 2 for 18; Sajeesh Babu 2 for 9; Mohammad Adil 2 for 10).
Man of the match: Muhammadullah Khan and Muhammad Gayaz.
Alubond Tigers bt Globelink West Star Shipping by 38 runs
Alubond 138 in 20 overs (Amjad Gul 27; Gulam Shabbir 27; Roshan Mustafa 21; Hari Prashanth 3 for 32; Laxman Sreekumar 3 for 10; Zahoor Faroqui 2 for 16)
Globelink 100 in 19.3 overs (Jeevan G 29; Riyaz Khan 23; Nasir Aziz 2 for 19; Sultan Ahmad 2 for 25; Asif Mumtaz 2 for 20).
Man of the match: Nasir Aziz.
Rig Power Technical Construction beat RAK Insurance by eight wickets.
RAK Insurance Warriors 85 all out in 18.3 overs (Sujith Satheesan 3 for 16; Tahir Latif 2 for 8) Rig Power 87 for 2 in 10.3 overs (Shakeer Hyder 44 n.o.).
Man of the match: Shakeer Hyder.