Sharjah: UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa inspired by being with top international cricketers for a week during the T10 Cricket League has cracked two consecutive half-centuries in domestic tournaments.
During the two days after the T10 final, Mustafa, who was in the title-winners Kerala Kings team, scored 64 runs in the Sharjah T-20 Bash and followed it up with an unbeaten 55 in the Ajman’s Royal Cricket League final.
Mustafa played for One Stop Tourism and steered the team to victory in Ajman against Multiplex while his 64 in Sharjah T20 Bash was against Sharjah Cricket Club.
Speaking to Gulf News, Mustafa said: “Being with top cricketers and watching them was a special feeling. The Kerala Kings team’s star performers were all left-handers starting from Eoin Morgan, David Miller and Rilee Rossouw. Being a left-hander myself I got inspired, particularly Miller the way he picked the balls to hit and his positioning for the shots.”
In the Sharjah Bash, Mustafa opened the innings and smashed 64 off just 38 balls with six boundaries and four sixes. He put on a 51 runs partnership with Nafiz Kaleem (11). Adil Mirza chipped in with 19-ball 22 runs and One Stop Tourism posted 164 for nine in 20 overs.
Chasing the score, Sharjah Club batting crashed before the bowling of Muhammad Azhar who bagged five for 15 with Mustafa sparkling with the ball too by bagging two wickets for 15 runs. Except for Asif Khan (20) and Muhammad Sami (28) none of the other batsmen rose to challenge and were all out for just 85 runs in 16.1 overs.
Brief scores: One Stop Tourism bt Sharjah Cricket Club by 79 runs. One Stop Tourism: 164 for 9 in 20 overs (Rohan Mustafa 64, Adil Mirza 22, Kashif Dawood 3 for 23, Asif Khan 2 for 19). Sharjah Cricket Club: 85 in 16.1 overs (Asif Khan 20, Muhammad Sami 28; Muhammad Azhar 5 for 15, Rohan Mustafa 2 for 15). Man of the match: Muhammad Azhar.
