Cream of UAE’s talented cricketers produce a spectacular show in Emirates D10

By K.R. Nayar

The fourth day of the Emirates D10 had everything in it that makes T10 an exciting format to watch. This included Vriitya Aravind and Chirag Suri’s sparkling knocks, accurate leg-spin from Muhammad Farooq, Ali Abid’s fighting knock that went in vain, and brilliant captaincy by Fujairah skipper Ahmed Raza

When the cream of talented cricketers from the UAE display their skills, it turns into an exciting spectacle to witness. This is what we witnessed on the fourth day of the Fancode Emirates D10 2021 powered by SKY 247 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Leading the show were 18-year-old Vriitya Aravind, stroke-filled Chirag Suri, and the accurate leg spinner Muhammad Farooq, all of whom were rightly judged as the players of the match. Abu Dhabi’s Ali Abid joined the three through a sterling half-century that went in vain. The day also saw UAE skipper Ahmed Raza’s splendid captaincy as skipper of Fujairah. He displayed what it was to think on one’s toes and how important it is to hold on to our nerves when it matters most to win a match.

The first two matches of the day were tooth and nail contests with the fate of the match swinging like a pendulum. In the first match, Dubai stopped Abu Dhabi in a heart-stopping thriller though it was a heart-break for the Abu Dhabi team. Abu Dhabi almost had the match in their hands, but an aggressive Sharukh Sheikh literally snatched victory from Abu Dhabi’s clutches.

Being in the commentary box, which is the best seat in the stadium, it was exciting to watch those moments, especially when the bat and ball contest was at its peak. Abu Dhabi posted 89 for 8 in 10 overs through Ali Abid’s 61 off just 25 balls studded with three boundaries and six sixes. Dubai spinners Muhammad Farooq (3 for 18) and young left-arm spinner Nilansh Keswani (2 for 24) ensured Abu Dhabi did not cross the 100-run mark.

Chasing the target, Dubai kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They were four wickets down for 48 runs at the halfway stage. The action reached the peak of excitement when 23 runs were needed off the last 16 balls. Abu Dhabi’s Waqas Gohar gave away just five runs in the eighth over to tighten the situation. Then began the Sharukh show. He hit the first ball of the ninth over from skipper Yodhin Punja for a six over mid-on.  He hit the next too for another six to the same region. Then he followed it with another sparkling shot through the covers for a boundary. Sharukh hit the winning shot off the fifth ball through a classy cover drive boundary with seven balls remaining.  

Chirag Suri riot

The clash between Fujairah and Emirates Blues was the battle of the two strongest teams in the tournament. It had all the ingredients that make T10 format a thriller. Unexpected happenings began from the toss itself as Fujairah skipper Ahmed Raza decided to bat first against the usual trend of almost all teams deciding to field first on winning the toss.

Raza’s decision was well backed by his batsmen who posted an impressive 126 for 4. The contest began sensationally with Emirates’ fast bowler Akif Raja clean bowling opener Usman Khan early with a ball that went through the bat and pad gap to knock the leg stump back for a duck. Opener Waseem Muhammad, fresh from his exploits in Abu Dhabi T10, unleased his powerful strokes to hit a breezy 35 off 15 balls with four sixes and one boundary. After Waseem fell began the Chirag Suri show. He hit a power-packed 64 runs off 30 balls with eight boundaries and three sixes to swell Fujairah’s total.

Emirates  Blues’ chase was a test of their batsmen’s nerves. They lost the prize wicket of CP Rizwan who lasted only three balls to score 10 runs. He fell to a diving catch by Fujairah skipper Ahmed Raza at mid-on off the bowling of Muhammad Ayaz. That catch inspired his teammates to go for the kill.  In the sixth over, Raza had the dangerous Mohammad Boota stumped for 9.  

Then began the test of nerves. With 61 runs needed off the last 24 balls, Waheed Ahmed hit two boundaries and a six off Waseem Muhammad. This reduced the margin to 45 runs off the last 18 balls. Fujairah introduced their star bowler Zahoor Khan. Waheed picked two successive boundaries off the last two deliveries off Zahoor’s over.  With 33 runs needed off the last 12 balls, Waseem Muhammad was introduced for his second over. Mohammad Azhar hit the first ball for a six to pull his team closer to the target. Waseem bowled the next three balls tightly giving away just one run each and with the fifth ball had Waheed caught by Jiju Janardhanan for a well-fought 40. As a reult, 24 runs were needed off the last over.

It was here that Raza rose to the challenge and displayed his ability to not succumb to the pressure. Introducing himself to bowl the last over, Raza saw his first two deliveries being smashed for two successive sixes by Azhar. Needing eight runs off the last two balls, Raza had Azhar hit high to Usman at long-off to end his knock of 33 off 14 balls with four sixes and thus pull off a scintillating seven-run win.

Vriitya Aravind steals the thunder

 The third match between Abu Dhabi and Sharjah was 18-year-old Vriitya Aravind’s show.  He sparkled under the Sharjah Stadium lights through some spectacular shots while steering Sharjah to an emphatic six-wicket win.  He cracked 53 runs off 25 balls studded with six boundaries and three sixes.

Abu Dhabi could muster only 85 for 7 in 10 overs with Sharjah’s accurate and inform bowler Umar Ali bagging three wickets for 11 runs. Sharjah’s opening bowler Kaushif Duad too chipped in with two wickets for 22 runs. For the Abu Dhabi team made up of young players, it was a learning curve, especially playing against the best UAE bowlers like Rohan Mustafa and Junaid Siddiqui. Abu Dhabi opener Mazhar Bashir top scored with 19 runs while one-drop Mohammad Riyan scored 15 runs. Sharjah's bowlers ensured that none of their batsmen settled down for a big score.

Chasing the easy target, Aravind unleashed his shots. All his sixes were well executed and brilliantly timed. When he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mohammad Kamran off Waqas Gohar, he walked out without even waiting for the umpire’s decision.

Brief scores:

Dubai beat Abu Dhabi by five wickets.  
Abu Dhabi 89 for 8 in 10 overs (Ali Abid 61, Muhammad Farooq 3 for 18, Nilansh Keswani 2 for 24) Dubai 90 for 5 in 8.5 overs (Shahrukh Sheikh 23, Adil Raza 2 for 13) Player of the match: Muhammad Farooq

Fujairah bt Emirates Blues by 7 runs.
Fujairah 126 for 4 in 10 overs (Waseem Muhammad 35, Chirag Suri 64, Mohammad Azhar 2 for 20) Emirates Blues 118 for 6 in 10 overs (Waheed Ahmad 40, Mohammad Azhar 33, Muhammad Ayaz 2 for 24, Ahmed Raza 2 for 39) Player of the match: Chirag Suri

Sharjah bt Abu Dhabi by six wickets.
Abu Dhabi 85 for 7 in 10 overs (Mazhar Bashir 19, Riyan Mohammad 15, Kashif Daud 2 for 22, Umair Ali 3 for 11) Sharjah 86 for 4 in 8.3 overs (Vriitya Aravind 53, Fayyaz Ahmed 2 for 14) Player of the match: Vriitya Aravind.