Umm Al Quwain: Nalin Khaitan, owner of the Gemini Arabians team of the oncoming Masters Cricket League, cracked a match winning 67 to steer Chargers Cricket Club to a 47-run win over Rostack Activate Cricket Club in the first night tournament, being organised by Umm Al Quwain Cricket Association. Batting first in the inaugural Mushtaq Premier League, Chargers, riding on Khaitan’s 64 off 49 deliveries with eight boundaries, posted 198 for 5 in 20 overs. Rostock were restricted to 154 for 6 despite Parikshit Balochi’s knock of 50 runs.
Khaitan took time off his busy schedule shaping the Gemini team made up of star former Test players like Kumar Sangakkara, Virender Sehwag, Muttiah Muralitharan and Saqlain Mushtaq.
In the eighth Al Dhaid Gold Cup 40-over tournament, organised by Sharjah Cricket Council at the Al Dhaid Cricket Village, Multiplex defeated Alubond Tigers by 22 runs to reach the final.
Multiplex will now meet Unicon Real Estate, who had already booked their place in the final. Batting first, Multiplex opener Ali Zeeshan hit 35 off just 21 balls with six boundaries and a six while S. Balweder scored a nine-ball 21 runs with three boundaries and a six. Mohammad Yasir accelerated the run rate with 67 runs off only 47 balls, including six hits to the fence and two over it, while Abdul Shukun chipped in with 24 runs helping Multiplex post 177 for seven in 20 overs. In reply, Alubond Tigers lost two wickets for just 14 runs. Umar Ali hit 26 runs from only 12 balls studded with four boundaries and a six while S. Ghulam cracked a 21-ball 39 supported by five fours and a six. Tahir Numan bagged three quick wickets despite a fighting knock from Pakistan Test star Hassan Raza, who scored a run a ball 27 runs. In the end, Alubond Tigers could score only 155 before being all out in 17.5 overs.
Brief scores:
Umm Al Quwain Premier League: Chargers CC bt Rostack Activate Cricket Club by 47 runs. Chargers CC: 198 for 5 in 20 overs (Nalin Khaitan 64, Farhan Babar 49, Nadir Husain 33; M Ibrar 2 for 25) Rostock Activate: 154 for 6 in 20 overs (Shoeb Ahmad 30, Parikshit Balochi 50, Nandakumar Ganesh 28; Imran 2 for 29, Ibtisham 2 for 23). Man of the match: Nalin Khaitan.
Welkin Group bt Perfect Engineering FZE by 70 runs. Welkin Group: 158 in 20 overs (Manal Siddique 45, Waheed Sajjad 23, Babar Ghazanfar 45; Ramesh Nateshan 4 for 20, Lal Bahadur 2 for 29, Pramod Bantu 2 for 15) Perfect Engineering: 89 in 20 overs (Qamar Javed 3 for 17, Babar Ghazanfar 3 for 2). Man of the match: Babar Ghazanfar
Al Dhaid Gold Cup: Multiplex bt Alubond Tigers by 22 runs. Multiplex: 177 for 7 in 20 overs (Ali Zeeshan 35, S. Balweder 21, Mohammad Yasir 67, Abdul Shukun 24; Mohammad Azhar 3 for 40, A Sajjad 2 for 20). Alubond Tigers: 155 in 17.5 overs (Umar Ali 26, S. Ghulam 39, Hassan Raja 27, K. Raziq 2 for 20, Tahir Numan 2 for 15). Man of the match: Mohammad Yasir.
