Abu Dhabi: Rameez Shahzad hit a century to steer United Bank Limited to a 31-run win over William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana and a passage to the semi-finals of the Gulf Technical Techaccess division-1 tournament.
Shahzad (129) arrived at the crease at the fall of the second wicket at 56 and shared a 181-run stand with Amjad Ali, the UAE international and opener who stroked 89, to set the platform for the bankers to post 306.
Gymkhana, in reply, made 275 for nine with left-arm medium pacer Ayaz Khan taking four for 56 from 10 overs at the Shaikh Zayed stadium. Shahzad’s 96-ball knock was highlighted by 17 fours and a six while Amjad struck nine fours and two sixes in his 105-ball stay at the crease.
Sultan Ahmad and Sohaib Khan bowled in tandem for Alubond Tigers to send One Stop Tourism crashing out. Ahmad took four for 30 from 8.1 overs and Sohaib three for 13 from eight to bowl out OST to 168 in reply to Alubond’s 189.
Ghulam Shabbir (81 off 80 balls) was the only batsman to provide an innings of substance for OST after losing the openers Sharjeel Khan (0) and Rohan Mustafa for 15, the first of the four wickets to fall for Sultan. Shaiman Anwar, the UAE’s leading scorer in the 2015 World Cup, top-scored for Alubond with 50.
Anwar hit his half-century off 75 balls and shared a 79-run partnership with opener Mohammad Azam (49) for the second wicket.
