UAE’s all-rounders Rizwan CP, Rohan Mustafa and Basil Hameed hog the limelight in the 28th edition of the Bukhatir League powered by Fancode

By K.R. Nayar

UAE national team’s three star all-rounders Rizwan CP, Rohan Mustafa and Basil Hameed displayed their skills in the quarterfinal of the 28th edition of the Bukhatir League powered by Fancode to power their teams to victories.

Rizwan CP of InterGlobe Marine emerged as the fifth century maker of this edition after Khalid Shah of Ajman Heroes, Muhammad Waseem of Brothers Gas, Fayyaz Ahmed of Medsol Labs – GHI and Aamer Hamza of Pakistan Super Market XI in the match against Ajman Heroes at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium during the double header quarterfinals of this tournament on Saturday.

Another player from InterGlobe Marine, Basil Hameed, who is fresh from a Player of the Match award in his last match for his unbeaten 56 and two wickets against Hemnet Properties, sparkled again with an unbeaten 54 and a two wicket spell. Rizwan CP and Basil Hameed thus ensured a 31-runs win over Ajman Heroes.

In another match, Future Mattress defeated Medsol Labs-GHI by 8 wickets through Rohan Mustafa’s 64 and one wicket. In his last match against Vision Shipping, Rohan Mustafa had produced a spell of 5 for 23 and hit 37 runs too. 

In the first quarterfinal of the day, Medsol Labs GHI elected to bat against Future Mattress. Skipper Shahan Akram who opened the innings fell to the third ball of the second over to Abdul Ghaffar for 13. That was Abdul Ghaffar’s first of the four wicket spell. Opener Ahsan Sultan too fell in the fifth over at the score on 33, caught and bowled by Haider Ali for 17. At the same score, Haider Ali clean bowled Muhammad Kaleem.

Safeer Tariq and Israr Ahmed took the score to 59 by the 11^th over when Rohan Mustafa provided the breakthrough by clean bowling Safeer Tariq for 11. This was followed by a 55 runs partnership for the fifth wicket between Israr Ahmed and Syed Maqsood. Ghaffar struck again to have Israr caught by Rohan Mustafa for 54. His knock off 47 deliveries had two boundaries and four sixes.  Soon Ghaffar clean bowled Vibhor for 3 while Abdul Malik fell to Muhammad Mudassar for 1 and Medsol Labs-GHI was restricted to 134 for 8 in 20 overs. Ghaffar who bagged four wickets for 25 runs won the Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best bowler award.

Future Mattress’s chase began by losing opener Asnar Khan to Hafeez Ur Rehman for 5, but Rohan Mustafa and Abdul Shakoor settled down quickly. Mustafa went on to hit 64 before falling to Sunny Azam. His knock off 26 balls had seven boundaries and four sixes. Shakoor hit an unbeaten 43 off 30 balls with five boundaries and two sixes, Future Mattress reached the target in just 11.5 overs. Rohan Mustafa won the PSM Player of the Match award and Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best batter award.

In the second quarterfinal match of the day, Ajman Heroes elected to field. InterGlobe Marine lost their hard-hitting opener Sandeep Singh caught and bowled by Mohammad Ajmal for 6. Then opener Rizwan CP began to strike beautifully and with one-drop Asif Khan, they took the score to 54 in 8.1 overs. Ankur Sangwan had Asif Khan out caught behind by wicketkeeper Yash Jaikumar for 16.

Basil Hameed joined Rizwan and dominated the bowling attack. They scored freely and put on an unbeaten 131 runs partnership. Rizwan hit an unbeaten 104 off 59 balls with 12 boundaries and three sixes. He bagged the PSM Player of the Match and Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best batter award. Basil Hameed remain unconquered on 54 off 33 deliveries with two boundaries and four sixes to ensure total 185 for 2 in 20 overs.

Ajman Heroes had the required batting to chase that total but could not get the start they needed. In the second over they lost their opener and captain Adnan Mulk to Mohammad Taimoor for 8. In the fourth over they lost opener Charith Nirmal, run out for 2.  When Zahid clean bowled Mohammad Ajmal too for 6, Ajman Heroes were struggling at 33 for 3 in 4.5 overs. Sait Ibthisam and Faizan Sehikh took the score to 76 by the 11^th over before Shahnawaz Khan clean bowled Sait Ibthisam for 14. Two runs later, Faizan Sheikh too got out to Asif Mumtaz for 36.

Sheldon D’Cruz and Adnan Arif took Ajman Heroes past the 100-run mark when Shahnawaz struck again to trap Adnan Arif leg before for 7. Sheldon D Cruz and Sultan Ahmed held on till Sheldon got bowled by Zahid for 32.  Basil Hameed ended Ajman Heroes’ challenge through a double strike. He removed Nazir Aziz for 4 and Sultan Ahmed for 30. Basil had also ran out Yash Jaikumar combining with Shahnawaz Khan for 2 and Ajman Heroes got all out for 154 in 19.5 overs. Basil went on to bag the Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best performer award.

Brief scores:

Future Mattress bt Medsol Labs GHI by 8 wkts. Medsol Labs GHI 134 for 8 in 20 overs (Israr Ahmed 54, Syed Maqsood 33, Haider Ali 2 for 18, Abdul Ghaffar 4 for 25) Future Mattress 137 for 2 in 11.5 overs (Rohan Mustafa 64, Abdul Shakoor 43n.o)
PSM Player of the Match: Rohan Mustafa
Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best batter: Rohan Mustafa
Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best bowler: Abdul Ghaffar

InterGlobe Marine bt Ajman Heroes by 31 runs. InterGlobe Marine 185 for 2 in 20 overs (Rizwan CP 104, Basil Hameed 54n.o) Ajman Heroes 154 in 19.5 overs (Faizan Sheikh 36, Sheldon D’Cruz 32, Sultan Ahmed 30, Zahid 2 for 37, Shahnawaz Khan 2 for 27, Basil Hameed 2 for 12)
PSM Player of the Match: Rizwan CP
Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best batter: Rizwan CP
Hemani Fragrances Game – Changer/Best performer: Basil Hameed