Dubai: Bukhatir XI does everything to make sure that they emerge the champions. Team owner Khalaf Bukhatir makes sure that the team players are groomed professionally for the battle and has appointed former England Test star Owais Shah as their coach. The result has been that Bukhatir XI lifted the prestigious Dubai Cricket Council Gold Cup stopping the formidable One Stop Tourism in the final at the International Cricket Council Academy ground.

Such is the Bukhatir XI’s focus on winning that even an unbeaten century by One Stop’s Mohammad Akram went in vain.

His knock of 102 came off 71 balls with seven boundaries and five sixes. So dominating was his knock that he scored over half of his team’s score of 197 for four in 25 overs.

Bukhatir XI’s chased the score brilliantly through Rizwan CP, who top scored with an unbeaten 54 and Adnan Mufti’s unbeaten 42.

Together they lifted their team to the target through an unbroken partnership of 76 runs for the fourth wicket and ensure a seven-wicket win.

Rizwan had also sparkled for Bukhatir XI through his brilliant all-round show and even won the best bowler of the tournament award.

Bukhatir XI won the toss and put One Stop into bat. Bukhatir XI got an early boost when UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa got run-out for a duck. This was followed by Mohammad Naveed’s double strike. He removed Waqas Raja for five and Waseem Bari for four to push One Stop to 18 for three.

Saif Janjua tried to repair the damage through a knock of 30 but One Stop slipped to 84 for 4. Ikram and Mohammad Usman lifted the team through a 113-run unbroken partnership to post the challenging total. Usman hit four massive sixes and a four during his 26-ball 46.

Bukhatir XI chased with absolute control. Their openers Zawar Fareed and Khalid Shah gave them a good 63-run partnership. Fareed hit 34 from 19 balls while Khalid chipped in with 33 off 26 balls. UAE’s young opener Chirag Suri kept the score moving with 28 from 25 balls before Rizwan and Adnan steered the team to the target in 22.2 overs.

Brief scores: Bukhatir XI bt One Stop Tourism by 7 wkts. One Stop Tourism 197 for 4 in 25 overs (Mohammad Ikram 102 n.o., Mohammad Usman 46 n.o., Saif Janjua 30; Mohammad Naveed 2 for 45) Bukhatir XI 200 for 3 in 22.2 overs (Rizwan CP 54 n.o., Adnan Mufti 42 n.o., Zawar Fareed 34, Khalid Shah 33, Chirag Suri 28). Man of the final: Mohammad Ikram.

Individual awards: Best batsman: Gulam Shabbir (One Stop Tourism) (4 matches, 195 runs).

Best bowler: Rizwan CP of Bukhatir XI (4 matches, 8 wickets). Player of the Tournament: Salman Randhawa of Car Fare Chargers (4 matches, 93 runs and 6 wickets).