Muhammad Hassan and Usman Khan extend MGM and Brothers Gas’s victory run while Muzamil Khan’s allround show gives Shama Stylish Living’s first win

By K.R. Nayar

Muhammad Hassan ensured that MGM Cricket Club marches ahead undefeated and record their fourth win through an unbeaten 42 in the 25^th match of the CBFS powered by Fancode T10 tournament at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday. After restricting Arqum Cricket Club to 64 for 7, Muhammad Hassan hit an unbeaten 42 off 24 balls with five boundaries to ensure his team’s win in 7.3 overs.

Muhammad Hassan receives the Man of the Match award from match referee Iftikhar Ali

In the second match of the day, Shama Stylish Living recorded their first win defeating Al Aziz Developers by six wickets. Muzamil Khan’s allround show with three wickets for 10 runs and a crucial 28 runs ensured Shama Stylish Living an impressive win.

The third match saw NFL Falcons fight hard but could not stop Brothers Gas from registering their fourth win in five matches. Consistent Usman Khan was once again the match winner through a knock of 66 off 27 balls with five sixes and six boundaries to give Brothers Gas a total of 121 for 2. NFL Falcons fought hard to post 94 for 6 but lost by 27 runs.

Group A: MGM Cricket Club vs Arqum Cricket Club

Muhammad Hassan ensure MGM Cricket Club’s unbeaten run

Arqum Cricket Club, after electing to bat, got off to one of the most disastrous starts in this tournament. Their captain Bilal Saleem fell to the first ball of the innings caught at cover by Umar Hafeez off Danish Qureshi. They lost their one-drop batsman Abdullah Ghazi, run out to a direct hit from Mayank Kumar at backward point to the second ball of the innings. In the second over, at the score of 7, they lost their third wicket when Zeeshan Akmal fell leg before to Niaz Khan for 1.

Opener Jaffer Naqvi and Usama Saleem took the score to 28 before Usama got clean bowled by Ahmad Shafiq for 5. Half the side was back in the pavilion for 48 when Ahtasham Iqbal got stumped by wicketkeeper Mayank Kumar off Shafiq for 3. After ten runs, Jaffer Naqvi who top scored with 42 too departed caught by Shafiq at deep mid-wicket off Adeel Malik. His knock off 25 balls had four boundaries and three sixes. Niaz Khan took his second wicket when he clean bowled Adeel Aslam for 3, and Arqum could muster only 64 for 7 in 10 overs.

Chasing the easy target, MGM did not get off to an easy start.  They lost their opener Waqas Ali bowled by off spinner Jagraj Singh for 8. Opener Muhammad Kaleem too fell in the second over caught by Jaffer Naqvi mid-on off Abdullah Ghazi for a duck. 

Fayaz Frank and Muhmmad Hassan then took up the responsibility and steadied the innings. Hassan was in full flow and went on to hit an unbeaten 42 runs while Fayaz Frank remained unbeaten on 14. They steered their team to the target in 7.3 overs to win by eight wickets.

Speaking about his match-winning knock, Muhmmad Hassan who won the Man of the Match award, said: “I was not among the runs so I am happy I made a comeback and I want to continue this way. We are unbeaten in this tournament and we want to maintain it this way. I dedicate this Man of the Match award to my father who has been watching me play, especially since he used to keep asking me when I would win the Man of the Match award.”

Brief scores:
MGM Cricket Club bt Arqum Cricket Club by 8 wkts. Arqum Cricket Club 64 for 7 in 10 overs (Jaffer Naqvi 42, Niaz Khan 2 for 12, Ahmad Shafiq 2 for 20) MGM Cricket Club (Muhammad Hassan 42n.o)
Man of the Match: Muhammad Hassan

Group B: Shama Stylish Living vs Al Aziz Developers

Muzamil Khan’s allround show in Shama Stylish Living’s first win

Al Aziz Developers opted to bat and lost their opener Muhammad Nadeem to the second ball of the first over, stumped by wicketkeeper Haroon Altaf off Muzamil Khan for a duck. Opener Muhmmad Imran and Aqeel Siddiqui put on 66 runs for the second wicket before Aqeel got caught behind by wicketkeeper Haroon Altaf off Muhammad Farhan for 22. Instead of capitalizing on this partnership, opener Muhammad Imran, who top scored with 39 runs, fell when he was caught by Rehan Khan off Muzamil at the score on 73 in 8.3 overs. Ahsan Shahazd too followed becoming Muzamil’s third victim, clean bowled for 6. When Rehan Khan had Hamid Nawaz stumped by Haroon Altaf for 6, Al Aziz could then post only 88 for 5 in 10 overs.

Muzamil Khan receives the Man of the Match award

Though a small total, Al Aziz looked like they would pull off a victory. They began their fight brilliantly by removing Shama Stylish Living opener Vindod Raghavan caught and bowled by Ashan Shahzad to the fourth ball of the first over for a duck. One drop Adeel Rana got bowled by Shamim Ali for 1 and two balls later Shami also trapped Rehan Khan leg before for a duck. Three wickets were down for nine runs in 2.4 overs.

Shama Stylish now needed a stubborn partnership and skipper Haroon Altaf and Muzamil Khan produced just that.  Together they put on a 62 runs for the fourth wicket before Muzamil fell caught by Ashan Shazad off Junaid Shamsu for 28. Altaf then pulled his team to the target with Muhmmad Umer who remained unbeaten on 15. Haroon remained unconquered on 41 off 21 balls made up of five sixes and no boundaries. Shama Stylish Living thus recorded their first win in four matches in 7.5 overs.

Speaking about his allround show that won him the Man of the Match award, Muzamil Khan said: “I got an opportunity to peform well and I made full use of it. I am thankful to Sharjah Cricket Council for creating such a platform to perform and organizing such a good event that has given us this opportunity. I have been enjoying it like all the others who want to give their best.”

Brief scores:
Shama Stylish Living bt Al Aziz Developers by 6 wkts.  Al Aziz Developers 88 for 5 n 10 overs (Muhammad Imran 39, Adeel Siddiqui 22, Muzamil Khan 3 for 10) Shama Stylish Living 89 for 4 in 7.5 overs (Haroon Altaf 41n.o, Muzamil Khan 28, Shamim Ali 2 for 27)
Man of the Match: Muzamil Khan

Group B:  Brothers Gas vs NFL Falcons

Consistent Usman Khan gives Brothers Gas their fourth win

Confident Brothers Gas won the toss and elected to bat. Their openers justified their decision to bat through an opening partnership of 89 runs in 6.5 overs. Usman Khan, who is currently in tremendous form, continued in the same manner scoring a breezy 66 off 27 balls before being caught by Kashif off Abdul Malik.

Opener Hamdan Tahir along with Jiju Janardhanan took the score past the 100-run mark. In the ninth over Hamdan Tahir got bowled by Hafeez Afridi for 26. Jiju Janardhanan (10n.o) and Umer Farooq (15n.o) took the score to 121 for 2.

Usman Khan receives the Man of the Match award

Chasing the total, NFL Falcons put on a spirited show against the formidable Brothers Gas attack. Though they lost their skipper Hafeez Afridi in the second over, bowled by Saqib Manshad for 1, opener Syed Maqsood and one-drop Ameer Hamza took the score to 35 in 3.2 overs. Hamza got caught by Tanveer Javed off Saqib Manshad for 14. This was followed by a huge setback when Maqsood who was batting fluently to score 25 runs got caught by Tanveer Javed off Jiju Janardhanan at the score on 49.

In the sixth over Wajahat Butt got run out for 7 but Abdul Malik and Sagheer Afridi took the score to 87 in 8.3 overs. However, Umer Farooq put on the brakes on NFL Falcons by clean bowling Abdul Malik for 23. Sagheer Afridi too got caught by Dawood Ejaz off Muhammad Azhar at mid-on for 13. NFL Falcons' fight ended at 94 for 6 in 10 overs and they lost by 27 runs.

Speaking of his another Man of the Match award winning performance, Usman Khan said: “There is no secret behind my consistency but sheer practice. Earlier we did not get to practice so much like we are doing now and that is showing. We have all become mentally stronger too and that has also helped me maintain my consistency.”

Brief scores:
Brothers Gas bt NFL Falcons by 27 runs. Brothers Gas 121 for 2 in 10 overs (Usman Khan 66, Hamdan Tahir 26) NFL Falcons 94 for 6 in 10 overs (Syed Maqsood 25, Abdul Malik 23, Saqib Manshad 2 for 20)
Man of the Match: Usman Khan