Ajman. It was a special day for the cricket loving labourers at the Ajman’s Eden Gardens Cricket ground.
The organisers of the T10 Cricket League, as part of their CSR initiative, organised a tournament for these less privileged but talented cricketers from the blue collared community to enjoy this format of the game.
To be soon played by international cricketers at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from December 14 to 17, this version of the game turned out to be a big hit among the labourers.
The teams were Pakthoons and Punjab Legends, Team Sri Lanka and Bengal Tigers and Kerala Kings and Maratha Arabians.
In an intense battle for the title, Kerala Kings and Maratha Arabians emerged as the champions riding on Farrukh Hussain’s whirlwind 92 off 34 balls. Taking on Team Sri Lanka and Bengal Tigers in the final, Kerala Kings and Maratha Arabians posted 162 for four in the 10 overs. Mohammad Asif chipped in with 30 runs off 12 balls to swell the total.
Chasing the score, Team Sri Lanka and Bengal Tigers could muster only 148 for six in the 10 overs with skipper S. Saleem scoring 80 runs off 35 balls and S. Abdul hitting 28 off 13 balls.
The jubilation of the winning team was a treat to watch as they carried the trophy along with the labourers around the ground. Farrukh who won the player of the final award will now receive his prize from an international cricketer during the T10 Cricket League.
The three teams were made up of labourers working for Swiss Arabian Perfumes, Danube and Mulk Holding and staying at the labour camps.
Shaji Ul Mulk, the chairman of the T10 league, gave away the prizes in the presence of Maratha Arabians team owner Parvez Khan and Vijay Vyas.
Speaking to Gulf News, Farrukh who hogged the limelight with a string of man of match awards in most matches, said: “This format is exciting and we all enjoyed playing it thoroughly. It will be great to watch when world famous players will be playing it.” Farrukh who hails from Karachi and works for Swiss Arabian Perfumes hit sixes with ease. “My hero is Shahid Afridi and I will be happiest if I can get to receive my award from Afridi whose style I copy to hit sixes. In labour camps we play six over and ten over games and so it was easy to score fast.”
