Dubai: Thrifty Rent-A-Car emerged as the champions of one of the oldest tournaments being held on the Ocean Fair Sports Club Grounds in Dubai Investment Park. The 15th edition of the Al Taher Spices Cup final between Thrifty Rent-A-Car and Ocean Fair International ended after an interesting run chase.
Batting first, Thrifty posted a mammoth 260 for 4 in 20 overs riding on Rehman Gul’s unbeaten 112 in just 50 balls with 12 fours and five sixes. Kabir Khan too chipped in with an unbeaten 50in 16 balls. Waqas Gauher set the tempo for a huge score hitting 34 runs while Sajaid Khaleel scored 32. Ocean Fair’s Ram Narayan took two wickets while Qadir Nawaz and Freddy Sidhwa took one wicket each.
Chasing the target, Ocean Fair International were restricted to 176 in 20 overs. Hafeez Afridi too hit a quick 50 runs in 16 balls. The consistent Jacob Richi too scored 43. Hassnin Raza chipped in with 23 runs. The bowlers who put the brakes on Ocean Fair are Mohammad Siraj (3 for 20) and Kabir Khan (3 for 21). Gul was rightly judged as man of the final.
Jacob Richie bagged best batsman award for his consistency while Abdul Rehman of Pulse Secure bagged the best bowler award. Mohammad Sabir of Thrifty was adjudged player of the tournament.
Earlier in the first semi-final, Ocean Fair defeated All Star Ringers Club by 55 runs Ocean Fair scored 198 for 8 in 20 overs through Hafeez Afridi (32) and Qadir Nawaz (37) All Star Ringers Club were restricted to 143 for 6 in 20 overs.
In the second semi-final, Thrifty beat Pulse Secure by six wickets. Though Pulse Secure posted 170 for 7 in 20 overs, Thrifty reached the target in 15 overs. Tariq Afridi top scored with 58. Abdulrehman Tariq Butt’s effort of 3 for 33 for Pulse Secure went in vain.
