Abu Dhabi T10 concludes with bravery and determination as the recipe for success

 By K.R. Nayar

From bravely staging the fourth edition of the Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 tournament amidst threats from Covid-19 by protecting the players and officials, to acts of bravery and determination from little-known players, the event stood out as an example to be followed by people facing challenges almost on a daily basis.

The fourth edition of the Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 tournament that concluded on Saturday was an event where the importance of bravery and determination was highlighted as the pathway to success. In today’s world where people have been crashing before the mounting pressures and challenges of daily life, a look at what happened in this tournament can be an eye opener.

Bravely deciding to stage this tournament in the face of threats from Covid-19 and making sure all precautions were in place for the safety of all players and support staff was the first step. One also needs to commend the bravery shown by all cricketers, including the legendary stars and international umpires, to come to the UAE accepting the assurance from the organisers that they would be safe here. So, this tournament has now sent out a huge message to the world that through a determined effort, players and officials can be protected and cricket can be played safely.

Then, in the matches that followed, it was again the bravery and determination that produced success.  This can be a proud moment for players from the UAE because it was they who showed from the start that if one can take on challenges without fear and with determination, then success is assured. After UAE’s Abdul Shakoor stunned every legendary player in the tournament by emerging as the man of the match in the very first match of the tournament through a spectacular 73 runs, all the other players from UAE bravely stepped forward to outshine some of the reputed international players.

UAE's Waseem Muhammad as the symbol of bravery and determination 

Waseem Muhammad, without having ever played first-class cricket, bravely took on any bowling attack to contribute consistently towards his team’s succcess. Young Chirag Suri and Alishan Sharafu bravely executed unbelievable shots to win applause. It was not the UAE batsmen alone who exhibited determination but the bowlers too. From Zahoor Khan, Sultan Ahmed, Junaid Siddique, Shiraz Ahmed, and Rohan Mustafa, all of them won matches for their teams outshining internationally acclaimed bowlers.

Additionally, some of the not-so-strong teams went on to bravely conquer opponents who looked unstoppable. When Qalandars were on a five-match winning spree and looked like smoothly sailing to win the trophy, Team Abu Dhabi stunned them. It was Abu Dhabi’s exemplary bravery and determination that derailed Qalandars.

Northern Warrior skipper Nicholas Pooran who led the brave march from the front 

The journey of Northern Warriors to the final and title triumph will stand out forever as a remarkable show of grit for many teams to get inspired on how to become champions. Thrashed by Delhi Bulls in the first qualifier by five wickets with eight balls to spare, Warriors staged a tremendous comeback.  In the Eliminator 2, Warriors bravely chased Abu Dhabi’s target of 114 for 7 with Rovman Powell and Lendl Simmons holding on to their nerves amidst mounting pressure to win the match with two balls to spare.

Northern Warriors celebrating the reward for their determination 

Again, it was Warrior’s determination and never-say-die attitude that won them the final too. Playing the final without their reputed bowlers Wayne Parnell and Wahab Riaz, two little known youngsters from Sri Lanka -Maheesh Theekshan and medium-pacer Dhananjaya Lakshan -backed by UAE's Siddique restricted Delhi to a paltry 81 for 9 and emerge as the champions.

This victory was the culmination of the strength of character and resolve that we all witnessed throughout this edition. The day is not far off when Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 gets more international fame and this format spreads to many parts of the world.