Four matches of the inaugural T10 cricket league conducted yesterday (15) at Sharjah Cricket stadium.
Punjabi Legends vs Bengal Tigers
Punjabi Legends team led by Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat first on a batting friendly Sharjah cricket ground. Luke Ronchi and Umar Akmal opened the batting for the Punjabi team but the former was dismissed for just 9 runs by South African speedster Merchant de Lange.
Umar Akmal was joined by his countryman Shoaib Malik and they put on a 71 run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Punjabi Legends finished the allotted 10 overs with 99 runs for 6 wickets. Umar Akmal top scored with 38 runs off 25 balls which included 4 fours and 2 massive sixes. Shoaib Malik also contributed with a valuable 30 runs which came off just 15 balls. South African Merchant de Lange and Pakistan fast bowler Anwar Ali picked up 2 wickets each.
Bengal Tigers chased down the target in the last over with 3 wickets remaining. Aamer Yamin top scored with 18 runs which came off just 5 balls and included 3 massive sixes. Experienced campaigner David Miller and Captain Sarfraz Ahmed contributed 15 runs each. Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali impressed with the ball as he picked up 4 wickets for just 7 runs.
Brief Scores
Punjabi Legends – 99/6 (10) Umar Akmal 38, Shoaib Malik 30, Anwar Ali 2/25, Merchant de Lange 2/31.
Bengal Tigers – 105/7 (9.2) Aamer Yamin 18, Sarfraz Ahmed 15, David Miller 15, Hasan Ali 4/07, Carlos Brathwaite 2/35
Result – Bengal Tigers won by 3 wickets
Maratha Arabians vs Team Sri Lanka
Virendra Sehwag, the skipper of Maratha Arabians won the toss and elected to bowl first against Team Sri Lanka on the second match of the day. T20 specialist Dilshan Munaweera and Captain Chandimal opened the innings for Team Sri Lanka but could not get a good start as the former was dismissed for just 4 runs.
However, Chandimal steered the innings with the help of the middle order batsmen to a formidable total of 125 in 10 overs and top scored with 37 (24) not out at a strike rate of 154. Left handed batsman Shehan Jayasuriya scored 28 runs off 11 balls including 3 fours and 2 sixes while hard hitting batsman Ramith Rambukwella scored 22 runs off 10 balls including 2 fours and 2 sixes.
West Indian fast medium bowler Dwayne Bravo and South African fast bowler Hardus Viljoen picked up 2 wickets each for Maratha Arabians. In reply, Maratha Arabians lost Kamran Akmal in the first over as Vishwa Fernando clean bowled him. England opening batsman Alex Hales and former South African player Rilee Rossouw built a 51 run partnership for the 2nd wicket.
Even though Rilee Rossouw lost partners at the other end, he kept hitting sixes from his end and won them the match in the final ball of the innings by hitting a massive six over mid-wicket. His cameo of 49 runs came off just 18 balls which included 6 sixes. Left arm seamer Vishwa Fernando impressed with the ball for Team Sri Lanka with 2 wickets for 15 runs.
Brief Scores
Team Sri Lanka – 125/4 (10) Dinesh Chandimal 37*, Shehan Jayasuriya 28, Ramith Rambukwella 22, Dwayne Bravo 2/12, Hardus Viljoen 2/28
Maratha Arabians – 131/5 (10) Rilee Rossouw 49*, Alex Hales 32, Roelof Van der Merwe 25, Vishwa Fernando 2/15, Ramith Rambukwella 1/16, Shehan Madushanka 1/19
Result – Maratha Arabians won by 5 wickets
Kerala Kings vs Punjabi Legends
Shoaib Malik, the skipper of Punjabi Legends won the toss and invited Kerala Kings to bat first on the Sharjah wicket. Ireland opening batsman Paul Stirling led the way with the bat for Kerala Kings as he made a quick fire 46 runs off 29 balls which guided them to post 114 runs for the loss of 4 wickets.
Paul Stirling’s knock included 4 fours and 3 sixes and came at a strike rate of 158. Skipper Eoin Morgan was the other major contributor with the bat for Kerala Kings as he made valuable 21 runs off 13 balls.
In reply, Punjabi Legends lost Luke Ronchi in the very first over but got back the momentum with the partnership between the two Pakistan batsmen Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik. The former was dismissed for 31 runs which came off just 13 balls including 3 fours and 3 sixes.
One of the most experienced cricketers in franchise cricket, Shoaib Malik finished the game in style with 60 runs not out. His match wining knock came off just 25 balls and included 6 fours and 4 sixes.
Brief Scores
Kerala Kings – 114/4 (10) Paul Stirling 46, Eoin Morgan 21, Chris Jordan 1/17, Ravi Bopara 1/17
Punjabi Legends – 115/2 (09) Shoaib Malik 60*, Umar Akmal 31, Carlos Brathwaite 10*, Sohail Tanvir 1/13, Rayad Emrit 1/30
Result – Punjabi Legends won by 8 wickets
Team Sri Lanka vs Pakhtoons
Pakhtoons skipper Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bat first against Team Sri Lanka in the sixth match of the inaugural T10 cricket league. Openers Ahmed Shehzad and Tamim Iqbal got off to a flying start as they put on 29 runs for the 1st wicket within 2.2 overs. After the dismissal of Ahmed Shehzad who made 24, Tamim Iqbal continued his blistering innings and top scored for Pakhtoons with 56 runs not out off 27 balls.
His unbeaten half century included 5 fours and 4 sixes as Pakhtoons finished their innings on 111 for 6 wickets. The left -arm seamer impressed again with the ball capturing 2 wickets for 15 runs and off spinner Shehan Jayasuriya picked up 2 wickets for 19 runs.
Chasing a target of 112, Team Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start as both openers were dismissed with only three runs on the board. Team Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals but 20 year old Wanidu Hasaranga showed some resistance with the bat towards the end by taking on leg spinner Shahid Afridi. He smashed 31 runs off 12 balls including 3 fours and 2 sixes but his dismissal ended the hopes of the Sri Lankan team as they scored only 84 runs for 7 wickets in the allotted 10 overs. England left arm spinner Liam Dawson picked up 2 wickets for Pakhtoons.
Brief Scores
Pakhtoons – 111/6 (10) Tamim Iqbal 56*, Ahmed Shehzad 24, Liam Dawson 11, Vishwa Fernando 2/15, Shehan Jayasuriya 2/19
Team Sri Lanka – 84/7 (10) Wanidu Hasaranga 31, Ramith Rambukwella 18, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 13, Liam Dawson 2/06, Sohail Khan 1/05
Result – Pakhtoons won by 27 runs
 at Sharjah Cricket stadium.){kind=link}