Quiet day for TT players in Abu Dhabi T10

IT was a quiet opening day for most of the TT players at the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament in United Arab Emirates, on Thursday.

In the opening match of the tournament Northern Warriors lost to Maratha Arabians by seven wickets.

Warriors had six West Indians in the starting XI including TT players Lendl Simmons, captain Nicholas Pooran and Rayad Emrit.

Simmons and Jamaican Brandon King scored 54 not out and 29 respectively to lead Warriors to 127/2 batting first. Simmons faced 31 balls hitting seven fours and one six in the process.

Warriors also had three Jamaicans as Rovman Powell and Fabian Allen were in the starting XI. Powell pitched in with 22 not out and Pooran struck 19.

Abdul Shakoor took the match away from the Warriors as he slammed 73 off just 28 deliveries to guide Arabians to 131/5 in exactly ten overs.

Mohammad Hafeez contributed 19. Allen was the best bowler for Warriors with 2/11 in two overs and Emrit took 1/21 in two overs.

The TT trio of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Ravi Rampaul lined up for Deccan Gladiators against Pune Devils. Batting first, Gladiators could only post 104/5 in ten overs with Azam Khan and Cameron Delport leading the way with 37 not out and 25 respectively. Narine, who opened the batting, scored one and captain Pollard made two. Nasir Hossain grabbed 3/18 in two overs and Munis Ansari took 2/11 in two overs.

Devils completed a seven-wicket victory getting to 106/3 in 9.2 overs. Jamaican Kennar Lewis cracked 57 not out in 28 balls and his fellow Jamaican Chadwick Walton scored 18. Rampaul was economical ending with 1/13 in two overs and Narine snatched 1/18 in two overs. Pollard conceded 12 runs in the two balls he bowled.

Dwayne Bravo captained the Delhi Bulls to a seven-wicket win over Bangla Tigers.

Tigers posted 128/2 batting first with St Lucian Johnson Charles lashing 73 not out off 35 balls with six fours and five sixes. Charles and Grenadian Andre Fletcher, who is the captain of the Tigers, put on 101 for the first wicket inside eight overs.

Bravo ended with figures of 1/21 in two overs.

In response, Bulls eased to 129/3 in 8.5 overs with TT player Evin Lewis ending unbeaten on 32. He faced 18 balls and struck three fours and two sixes. Rahmanullah Gurbaz belted 41 off 15 and experienced player Ravi Bopara hit 38.

On Friday, three more West Indian players may feature for the first time in the 2021 edition. World T20 star Chris Gayle of Jamaica, Trinidadian Leonardo Julien and Vincentian Obed McCoy are on the Team Abu Dhabi squad. Team Abu Dhabi will play Gladiators in the last match on Friday, from 12.30 pm, TT time.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Northern Warriors 127/2 (10 overs) (Lendl Simmons 54 not out, Brandon King 29, Rovman Powell 22 not out, Nicholas Pooran 19) vs Maratha Arabians 131/5 (10 overs) (Abdul Shakoor 73, Mohammad Hafeez 19, Fabian Allen 2/11, Rayad Emrit 1/21) Maratha Arabians won by five wickets

Deccan Gladiators 104/5 (10 overs) (Azam Khan 37 not out, Cameron Delport 25; Nasir Hossain 3/18, Munis Ansari 2/11) vs Pune Devils 106/3 (9.2 overs) (Kennar Lewis 57 not out, Chadwick Walton 18; Ravi Rampaul 1/13, Sunil Narine 1/18) Pune Devils won by seven wickets

Bangla Tigers 128/2 (10 overs) (Johnson Charles 73 not out, Andre Fletcher 32; Dwayne Bravo 1/21) vs Delhi Bulls 129/3 (8.5 overs) (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 41, Ravi Bopara 38, Evin Lewis 32 not out) Delhi Bulls won by seven wickets

FRIDAY’S FIXTURES

Pune Devils vs Qalanders, 8 am

Maratha Arabians vs Delhi Bulls, 10.15 am

Deccan Gladiators vs Team Abu Dhabi, 12.30 pm