Defending champions Maratha Arabians crash out losing to Deccan Gladiators

Abu Dhabi: Defending champions Maratha Arabians bowed out of the Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 tournament at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium with another shoddy batting performance. They crashed to a 29-runs defeat to Deccan Gladiators in the first match of the fourth day of the Super League.

Anwar Ali’s blazing cameo of an unbeaten 39 off 12 balls with two sixes and six boundaries helped Gladiators post a total of 120 for 4. In reply, Arabians could muster only 91 for 3 despite their skipper Mosaddek Hossain’s unbeaten 44.

For Gladiators, who too have had a poor tournament, it was a consolation win despite resting their star players. South African veteran leg spinner Imran Tahir captained the team.

Arabians won the toss and elected to field. Gladiators lost their opener Azam Khan to the last ball of the first over from India’s veteran spinner Pravin Tambe. He made Azam slog him to Sompal Kami at deep mid-wicket for 4.

Opener Prashant Gupta began by hitting Ishan Malhotra for a six and then went on to pick two consecutive boundaries. His partner, UAE’s Yasir Kaleem, too picked a boundary to the point fence. Kaleem also lifted Tambe’s first delivery of the third over for a six over long on.

Gupta, who had played Ranji Trophy for Uttar Pradesh, hit Muktar Ali for a six and two consecutive boundaries. UAE’s 16-year-old Maroof Merchant got hit for two sixes by Kaleem. At the half way mark, Gladiators were 67 for 1.

Gupta fell to the fourth ball of the sixth over from Sompal Kami getting caught at long on for 25. Kami ended Kaleem’s knock of 28 with the last ball of that over. Kaleem got caught by Alishan Sharafu at deep midwicket. Kami gave away just only two runs in that over to take the two wickets.

Sohag Gazi gave away only seven runs from the seventh over but Anwar Ali hit the first two deliveries of the eighth over from Kami for boundaries.

Gazi had Cameron Delport stumped by wicketkeeper Abdul Shakoor for 6 in the ninth over. Zeeshan Zameer and Anwar Ali picked one boundary each. Ali then hit Malhotra for three boundaries and two sixes to take 25 runs off the 10th over.

Chasing the target, Arabians opener Abdul Shakoor got only one boundary off Imtiaz Ahmed, who bowled three wides in the first over. The second over from Aaron Summers was accurate and gave away only six runs. Opener Malhotra hit two consecutive boundaries off Imtiaz’s third over to take 12 runs. Imran Tahir introduced himself and bowled Shakoor for 9 with a googly. When Pakistan’s 18-year-old pacer Zeeshan Zameer had Shoaib Malik caught at long on for 1 in the fifth over giving away only five runs, the asking rate began to shoot up. Arabians needed 89 runs from the last five overs.

Gladiators introduced UAE’s Zahoor Khan for the sixth over and as usual he bowled tightly giving just one boundary to Mosaddek Hossain. In the seventh over, Malhotra hit the first ball for a boundary while Hossain hit a six, to get 14 run off that over. However, Arabians still needed 68 runs off the last 18 balls. Hossain hit Tahir for two successive boundaries and also earned a four rus bye. He also hit the fourth ball for a six to take 21 runs off the over.

With 46 runs needed from the last two overs, Summers had Malhotra brilliantly caught by Zahoor Khan at short fine leg for 22. He prevented the batsmen from going for any big hits in the over giving away just seven runs. With 39 runs needed off the last six balls, Zahoor Khan continued to bowl tight and ensured his team their second win. Hossain remained unbeaten on 44 but his team fell short by 29 runs.

Brief scores
Deccan Gladiator beat Maratha Arabians by 29 runs. Deccan Gladiators 120 for 4 in 10 overs (Prashant Gupta 35, Yasir Kaleem 28, Anwar Ali 39n.o, Sompal Kami 2 for 12) Maratha Arabians 91 for 3 in 10 overs (Ishan Malhotra 22, Mosaddek Hossain 44n.o)

Player of the match: Anwar Ali