The unconquerable MGM Cricket Club emerged champions in the CBFS powered by Fancode S10 tournament through a five-run last over thriller against InterGlobe Marine

By K.R. Nayar

When two of the finest teams in the tournament and in UAE’s domestic cricket clash for the CBFS powered by Fancode S10 tournament title, it is bound to be a thriller. The final ended in a nail-biting finish with MGM Cricket Club emerging as the champions defeating InterGlobe Marine by five runs on Friday. It was a spotless performance from MGM Cricket Club that remained unbeaten in this tournament, and they stopped InterGlobe Marine, champions of the CBFS T20 tournament, from recording a double triumph.

MGM Cricket Club celebrates as champions of the CBFS powered by Fancode S10 tournament 

The hero of the final was left-arm spinner Ahmad Shafiq who took the valuable wickets of the dangerous and aggressive InterGlobe Marine openers Asif Khan and Sandeep Singh to restrict them to 79 for 7 while chasing MGM Cricket Club’s moderate total of 84 for 8.

Ahmad Shafiq of MGM Cricket Club receives the Man of the Match award from match referee Tehseen Javed 

It looked like InterGlobe Marine had done enough to win the final when they restricted MGM to 84 for 8 through some fine bowling from Touqeer Riyasat (2 for 4) and Gopakumar Gopalakrishnan (2 for 25) despite Muhammad Kaleem's fighting 32 runs off 22 balls with four boundaries and a six.

The chase was a thriller from the start with the aggressive openers Sandeep Singh Sandy and Asif Khan being able to put on only a 22-runs partnership before Sandeep Singh got caught by Adeel Malik at deep mid-on off Ahmad Shafiq for 10.  After five more runs were added to the total, Asif Khan too got out with Adeel Malik taking his second catch at mid-on off Ahmad Shafiq. The biggest blow for InterGlobe was when Yasir Khaleem on 2 too followed one run later getting run out to a good fielding and throw from Muhammad Kaleem at fine leg for wicket keeper Mayank Kumar to do the rest.  At the score of 25, Yasir Khaleem on zero had survived a close call for a run out. The third umpire, after some intense scrutiny that lasted nearly five minutes, had declared him not out.

MGM Cricket Club receives the winners' trophy and cheque from Waleed Bhukhatir and Mazhar Khan 

All eyes were then on England Test star Owais Shah and Vishnu Sukumaran. They took the score to 50 in 7.2 overs when Owais Shah was brilliantly caught by a leaping Ahmad Shafiq at deep cover off Saifullah Noor for 11. At the same score Touqeer Riyasat too followed bowled by Saifullah to the next ball for a duck.

MGM Cricket Club celebrates their exciting finish 

The last over drama began with 12 runs needed from the last six deliveries from right-arm medium pacer Umar Hafeez, who was bravely introduced to bowl his first ever over in this tournament by skipper Malik.  Shahnawaz Khan fell to the second ball from Hafeez, caught by Rahul Chopra at deep midwicket off Umar Hafeez.  Vishnu Sukumaran, who carried the hopes of InterGlobe Marine by top scoring with 29 runs off 16 balls with one boundary and two sixes, fell to the fifth ball, caught by Chopra at long on. A six was needed off the last ball but all that InterGlobe could manage was a single and the MGM players walked away with their head high as the unconquered team of the championship.

Earlier, InterGlobe Marine, after winning the toss, had elected to field. MGM Cricket Club lost their opener Mayank Kumar in the third over, caught and bowled by Hazrat Luqman for 1. Muhammad Kaleem, who did the majority of the scoring through his aggressive batting, go out caught by Vishnu Sukumaran at long-on off his skipper Asif Mumtaz for 32 at the score on 45. What followed was a batting collapse as at the same score their consistent batsman Rahul Chopra fell leg before to Mohammad Taimoor for 9. Gopakumar Gopalakrishnan then clean bowled Waqas Ali for 1.

When Niaz Khan too fell caught by Asif Khan at backward point off Gopakumar, half the side was back in the dug-out for 61 in 7.5 overs. Seven runs later, Salman Noor top edged Touqeer Riyasat to be caught by Sandeep Singh running behind the wicketkeeper. One run later Muhammad Hassan too got clean bowled by Touqeer for a duck. InterGlobe thus got MGM restricted to a gettable total of 84 for 8.

The captains before the title clash 

It was a remarkable display by MGM Cricket Club on how to defend a small total in this format. They were ably captained by Adeel Malik, brother of Pakistan Test star Shoaib Malik. He inspired everyone to keep their cool and go about cracking the mighty InterGlobe Marine’s batting.

Speaking about emerging as the champions, Waqas Ali, representing the winning team captain, said: “There is no secret behind our win. We played like a united family, fought and won it. We were unbeaten because we fought all the way and this format is such that anything can happen any time. But we made sure we played well in all matches and thus won all of them. We dedicate this trophy and success to our team owner Malik Ghulam Mustafa Saheb who has encouraged us all the way.”

Farhan Ahmad of Fair Deal Defenders receives the Best Bowler award

Asif Mumtaz, skipper of the InterGlobe Marine said: “Defeat and victory are all part of cricket; but we played good cricket and produced a good final. MGM played well and won it. It was a bad day for us but ultimately cricket was the winner. We are thankful to our owner Aman bhai who has advised us to come back stronger.”

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Waleed Bukhatir, vice chairman of the Sharjah Council, said: “It is a great feeling to see the CBFS tournament, which set the trend by hosting the 241 One Day Internationals, the maximum number of ODI matches in world cricket history at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, is producing great cricket and matches through different formats. CBFS will continue to serve the game by producing more and more tournaments in different formats and bringing more and more talents to the fore.”

Mazhar Khan, General Manager Sharjah Cricket Stadium lauded the players and said: “We are delighted to have seen over 7000 runs being scored in this tournament with 600 boundaries and over 400 sixes being hit.  This shows the caliber and quality of cricket exhibited by the players in this tournament. I thank the owners of all the teams, match officials, and all those who were behind the success of this tournament, especially my team made up of Shiva, Surya, Asif and Jameel for providing all facilities for the excellent contest of the event.”

Mazhar Khan concluded by announcing that more cricket is in offing: “We will be now staging the Ramadan cricket which will have T20 and S10 tournaments too.”

Brief scores:
MGM Cricket Club bt InterGlobe Marine by 5 runs. MGM Cricket Club 84 for 8 in 10 overs (Muhammad Kaleem 32, Touqeer Riyasat 2 for 4, Gopakumar Gopalakrishnan 2 for 25) InterGlobe Marine  79 for 7 in 10 overs (Vishnu Sukumaran 29, Saifullah Noor 2 for 20, Ahmad Shafiq 2 for 8, Umer Hafeez 2 for 5)
Man of the Match: Ahmad Shafiq

Best Batsman: Usman Khan of Brothers Gas scoring 220 runs from six matches

Best Bowler: Farhan Ahmad of Fair Deal Defenders bagging 12 wickets from six matches.

Player of the tournament: Hameed Khan of Qudran International scoring 216 runs from six matches