Brandon King’s 66 off 28 balls powered Royal Desert Champions to a 39-run win over Yas Lions, while Azmatullah Omarzai’s all-round display earned United Tigers a 22-run win over Emirates Eagles on day six of the Abu Dhabi T10 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
King was the difference in the evening game. Opening with Phil Salt, who made 24 off 12, King struck six fours and five sixes in a 28-ball assault that carried the Champions to 136 for 4 in their 10 overs. Nicholas Pooran added 26 off 11 balls, with four sixes, and Sherfane Rutherford finished unbeaten on 3 as the Champions posted a total the Lions never threatened.
The Lions’ chase never got going. James Vince fell for 8, Andries Gous for a duck and Dasun Shanaka for 9, and at 97 for 6 the innings was done. Tom Moores fought on with an unbeaten 40 off 21 balls and Karim Janat made 32 off 13, but the damage was done early. Naseem Shah took 3 for 17, while Maheesh Theekshana conceded just 13 from his two overs and Chris Jordan took 1 for 17.
Earlier, Omarzai lit up the first game of the day. The Tigers posted 141 for 5 after Joe Clarke made 33 off 20 before retiring out and Fakhar Zaman hit 26 off 13. Omarzai then smashed 33 off just nine balls, with three fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 366.67, and Abbas Afridi finished unbeaten on 18 off six balls as the Tigers reached a total that proved just beyond the Eagles.
Alex Hales gave the Eagles hope with an unbeaten 67 off 31 balls, striking three fours and six sixes, and Shimron Hetmyer added 22 off 12. But with only two wickets down, the Eagles still finished 22 runs short on 119 for 2, their batting never quite keeping pace with the asking rate. Omarzai also took 1 for 23 with the ball and was named player of the match, while Afridi finished with 1 for 16 from his two overs. The Eagles’ total was the lowest of the day despite losing only two wickets, a reminder that in ten-over cricket the asking rate, not the wickets in hand, decides the game.
The two results keep the race for the play-off places tight as the league stage heads towards its final days, with the Champions and the Tigers both banking valuable wins on a day when the batters again dominated at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Related:
- Holder’s All-Round Masterclass Powers Yas Lions to 29-Run Win Over Arabian Aces in Abu Dhabi T10 — https://t20star.com/holders-all-round-masterclass-powers-yas-lions-to-29-run-win-over-arabian-aces-in-abu-dhabi-t10/
- Rutherford’s 40 off 13 Powers Royal Desert Champions to First Win as Bulls Slump to Third Straight Defeat — https://t20star.com/rutherfords-40-off-13-powers-royal-desert-champions-to-first-win-as-bulls-slump-to-third-straight-defeat/
