Deccan Gladiators’ openers Nicholas Pooran and Kohler-Cadmore pummel Bangla Tigers for a ten-wicket win in the eliminator

Deccan Gladiators’ openers Nicholas Pooran and Kohler-Cadmore pummel Bangla Tigers for a ten-wicket win in the eliminator

Abu Dhabi, 8th December 2023: Deccan Gladiators opener and skipper Nicholas Pooran and Kohler Tom-Cadmore pulverised Bangla Tigers’ attack to record an emphatic ten-wicket win in the eliminator of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Pooran hit a rollicking unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls with eight boundaries and five sixes while consistent Kohler-Cadmore remained unconquered on 43 off 16 balls with four boundaries and three sixes to race past Bangla Tigers challenging total of 112 for 6 in 10 overs with 20 balls to spare.

Bangla Tigers looked to have set a winning total through Gulbadin Naib, playing his first match, cracking an unbeaten 52 off 26 balls with three boundaries and two sixes. Naib, whose first love before taking up cricket was bodybuilding, on completing his half century, flexed his muscles in celebration.

None thought Deccan Gladiators would record such a comfortable win with both their openers in a belligerent mood. Kohler-Cadmore set the tempo for the breezy race to the target by hitting the first two deliveries from Daniel Sams for boundaries. He hit the third one for a six over mid-wicket. He also went on to hit the fifth delivery for another six over long-on, and the last ball for a boundary over mid-off. Twenty-five runs came off the first over.

In the second over too Kohler-Cadmore hit Gulbadin for a six over extra cover. Skipper Nicholas Pooran pulled the last ball to the backward square leg for a boundary. Kohler-Cadmore did not spare Brathwaite too as he hit the fifth ball for a boundary past point and the sixth for his third six over long-on. The 50-runs partnership came in just three overs.

The fourth over saw Pooran going for his shots and hitting Mustafa’s first ball for a six over long-on, the second for a boundary to short third man, and third for a six over extra cover. He also hit the fourth and the last ball of that over for boundaries to take 24 runs off that over and overtake Kohler-Cadmore’s score.

Pooran reached his half century in 16 balls off a six and boundary off Matiullah Khan’s third and fourth deliveries of the fifth over. He celebrated his half century with a six to mid-wicket off the fifth ball and a boundary off the last ball to third man to take 21 runs off the over.

Deccan Gladiators needed only 16 runs to win at the half way mark and the pair’s century partnership came in 5.1 overs. Pooran hit the winning boundary off the fourth ball of the seventh over.

Brief scores:
Deccan Gladiators bt Bangla Tigers by 10 wkts. Bangla Tigers 112 for 6 in 10 overs (Pathum Nissanka 25, Gulbadin Naib 52n.o, Nuwan Thushara 2 for 22, Andre Russell 2 for 21) Bangla Tigers 114 for no loss in 6.4 overs (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 43n.o, Nicholas Pooran 70n.o)
Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran

Earlier, Deccan Gladiators won the toss and elected to field. Bangla Tigers lost their experienced opener Robin Uthapppa to the third ball of the first over from Trent Boult, caught by Andre Russell at mid-on for 4. The second over saw Rohan Mustafa, who had hit a boundary off Boult and Nuwan Thushara, fall to the fourth ball from Thushara for 9.

In the third over too, Tigers lost another wicket when Tom Abell got out caught and bowled by Russell for 5. Amidst the fall of wickets, Pathum Nissanka hit Imad Wasim for a six over mid-wicket. Gulbadin Naib then hit Waqa Salamkheil for a six, and Bangla Tigers’ score read 44 for 3 at the half way mark.

Gulbadin and Nissanka scored through sixes rather than boundaries. Off the last ball of the sixth over, Gulbadin slog swept Wasim for a six to mid-wicket. Nissanka too hit Russell’s first delivery of the seventh over for a six over deep square leg and the second delivery over fine leg for another six. With the fifth ball, Russell got Nissanka caught by Allen at deep mid-wicket for 25.

Runs kept flowing from the bat of Gulbadin as he hit Boult for three boundaries in the eighth over, two of them were consecutive hits. Gulbadin did not spare Thushara too as he hit his first and fourth deliveries to the boundary. Thushara got Benny Howell clean bowled for 11 with the last ball of the ninth over.

Gulbadin then took doubles from the first two deliveries from Zahoor Khan to move to 49 and then reached his half century off 25 balls off the fourth delivery with another double. Daniel Sams fell leg before to the last ball of the innings from Zahoor for a duck, and Tigers thus posted a challenging total of 112 for 6.