Waseem’s whirwind knock and Dubai’s shock win over Ajman lights up Emirates D10 on the eve of the final day

April 05, 2021

By K.R. Nayar

Dubai played for pride and walked away their heads held high defeating Ajman, while Fujairah’s Waseem Muhammad stole the thunder through a lightning 88 runs to outplay Emirates Blues. Kashif Daud lifted Sharjah to an easy win over Abu Dhabi. The stage is now set for the final with Fujairah taking on Ajman in the first semifinal and Sharjah to battle against Emirates Blues in second semifinal today. The final will be held from 9.35 pm UAE time today (April 5)

Waseem Muhammad through a whirlwind knock of 88 displayed his enormous power and repertoire of strokes to ensure Fujairah finish on top of the points table in the final round of the league matches. The tenth day of the Fancode Emirates D10 2021 powered by SKY 247 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium continued to be action packed with a shock win and filled with brilliant display of cricketing skills.
The star of the day was Waseem, who showed that he has the ability to hit every ball bowled to him for boundaries or sixes. So dominant was his batting that it looked like the Emirates Blues bowlers were praying not to be hit when bowling to him. Such was Waseem’s form that it looked like he could thrash any ball that came his way. His knock shot out Emirates’s hopes of a win.
But the star team of the day was Dubai. They played for pride in this match having never got going in this event. In their final match, they put in everything to stun Ajman. Young Ronak Panoly revealed that he was ready for big cricket through a breezy half century while his skipper Shahrukh Sheikh played another fine knock to also notch up a half century. Abu Dhabi failed before the might of Sharjah, especially to skillful Kashif Daud’s all-round show.

Match 28. Tenth day April 4, 2021, first match:
Fujairah beat Emirates Blues by 38 runs
Toss: Fujairah won the toss and elected to bat

It was an exhibition of Waseem Muhammad’s power hitting that hit Emirates Blues out of the match. Waseem gave Fujairah a whirlwind start after his team won the toss and elected to bat. He exhibited his rollicking form from the first ball he faced and cracked 88 runs off 34 balls studded with six sixes and nine fours. His domination was such that it looked like Emirates Blues bowlers were doing a wasteful job. The opening partnership of 88 runs came in just 5.3 overs before opener Usman Khan fell for 13 to Aryan Lakra. Hamdan Tahir and Ahmed Raza chipped in with 12 and 13 runs respectively. Omaid Rahman took two wickets for 19 runs as Fujairah piled up 135 for 7 in 10 overs.
Emirates put on a frantic effort to get off to a quick start. They lost an early wicket in Ateeq Ur Rehman for 4. Mohammad Boota and Lakra took the score to 56 in 5.3 overs before Waseem removed Lakra for 26. Boota too followed quickly getting caught by Waseem off Jiju Janardhanan for 29. Waheed Ahmed hit an unbeaten 20 but Fujairah choked their run flow through Zahoor Khan who gave away just seven runs from his two overs. Waseem was judged the Player of the Match for his all-round show.

Match 28. Tenth day April 4, 2021, sec0nd match:
Dubai beat Ajman by 35 runs
Toss: Dubai won the toss and elected to bat

Dubai stunned Ajman through a spirited batting show from their openers Ronak Panoly and skipper Shahrukh Sheikh. They put on an opening partnership of 108 runs in 7.5 overs. Panoly top scored with an unbeaten 56 off 28 balls with three sixes and six boundaries. Shahrukh hit 50 runs off 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes. Bilal Cheema hit 17 runs off seven balls to ensure an impressive 131 for 2 in 10 overs.

Shocked by Dubai’s brave batting display, Ajman never got going. Though openers Asif Khan hit a quick 24 off just nine balls with four boundaries and a six, he got bowled by Muhammad Hassan. Abdul Shakoor kept the score board moving but wickets kept falling at the other end. Leg spinner Muhammad Farooq bowled brilliantly to pick three wickets for 19 runs including the wicket of Shakoor for 33. Shakoor’s knock off 22 balls had four boundaries and a six. Shahan Akram scored 21 runs off 13 balls with four boundaries but Ajman could muster only 96 for 7 in their 10 overs. Ronak Panoly won the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten half century.

Match 29. Tenth day April 4, 2021, third match:
Sharjah beat Abu Dhabi by seven wickets
Toss: Abu Dhabi won the toss and elected to bat

Sharjah displayed their enormous bowling strength to restrict Abu Dhabi to 86 for 5 in 10 overs. All their bowlers bowled tightly and took one wicket each with Umair Ali emerging the best giving away just eight runs from his two overs and taking the wicket of opener Riyan Mohammad for 15. Abdul Malik top scored with 25 runs while Mausif Khan (13) Waqas Gohar (10) and Muhammad Muzammil (16n.o) managed double figure scores.

Chasing the small target, although opener Vriitya Aravind fell for 2, opener Rameez Shahzad (20) and Badiuzzama Sayed (16) maintained the run flow. Kashif Daud steered Sharjah quickly to the target with an unbeaten 37 off 14 balls with four sixes and one boundary to win the match in 8.3 overs. Daud bagged the Player of the Match award.

Watch the live coverage of this tournament on Fancode in India and sub-continent, Elife - Criclife/Switch TV/ du in UAE, Willow TV in USA and Canada, Live Media in Bangladesh Facebook/mysportseye for the rest of the world, and Geo Super in Pakistan.

Final day's schedule