Usman Khan’s dominant and destructive batting carries Warriors Cricket Club to a five-wicket win over The Vision Shipping while Shahram Dubai Knights record an easy win over First Abu Dhabi Bank

By K.R. Nayar

The second day of the 29th Bukhatir League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium witnessed one of the most dominant and destructive batting displays in UAE’s domestic cricket by Warriors Cricket Club’s opener Usman Khan. His knock of 105 chasing The Vision Shipping’s total of 148 for 9 came off just 53 balls studded with 13 boundaries and five sixes. So dominant was his batting that not only his batting partners but the bowlers and fielders too could merely watch his aggressive batting in awe. Warriors Cricket Club won the match by five wickets with two overs to spare.


In the first match of the day, Shahram Dubai Knights defeated First Abu Dhabi Bank by six wickets. First Abu Dhabi Bank was shot out for 105 in 18.5 overs and Shahram Dubai Knights  won the match in just 10.3 overs.

Usman Khan’s show in Warriors Cricket Club’s win

Usman Khan’s show was witnessed in the third match of the 29th Bukhatir League and the second match on Sunday. Warriors Cricket Club had won the toss and elected to field. The Vision Shipping opener and captain Saqib Mehmood was forced to retire due to an injury at the score of 9. Sagar Kalyan  and Salman Khan took the score to 60 in 8.1 overs when Sagar Kalyan got run out for 30. Riaz Khaliq Kaku struck soon to clean bowl Muhammad Nadeem for 2. When Salman Khan, who was batting fluently to score 58 runs off 42 balls with four boundaries and four sixes too got run out, The Vision Shipping’s run flow got hampered.

 Saqib Mehmood, who had returned to bat after recovering from his injury, got out at the score of 100 to Riaz Khaliq Kaku for 8. To make matters worse, star batsman Nasir Faraz got run out for 2. With half the side back in the dug-out for 104, Warriors Cricket Club went for the kill. Intizaar Ali got Zeeshan Abid out for 12. The experienced Sri Lankan bowler Malinda Pushpakumara got Shahbaz Ali out for 7. Malinda also went on to clean bowl Umar Arshad for a duck. Ikram Janjua became another run out victim for 1. Ubadiullah Muhammad with an unbeaten 17 and Sajjad Malook (5n.o) pushed the score to 148 for 9 in 20 overs.


Chasing the moderate total, Warriors Cricket Club’s opener Usman Khan went for his shots. He hit boundaries with ease. Opener Saad Refai  could score only 10 runs in the partnership of 89 with Usman Khan before Refai got out to Muhammad Nadeem. This was followed by a 39 runs partnership with Faraazuddin, who got out for 14, caught behind by wicketkeeper Umar Arshad off Shahbaz Ali.

Next man Shaurya Singh got out to an unplayable delivery from Shahbaz Ali which forced him to edge to wicketkeeper Umar Arshad for a duck. At the score of 137, the spectacular knock from Usman Khan came to an end when Ikram Januja caught him at mid-off, off the bowling of  Sajjad Malook for 105. When two runs were needed for victory, Warriors Cricket Club skipper Kaunain Abbas fell to Sajjad Malook for 6. Malinda Pushapakumar with an unbeaten 7 carried his team to victory in 18 overs.

Brief scores:
Warriors Cricket Club bt The Vision Shipping by 5 wkts. The Vision Shipping 148 for 9 in 20 overs (Salman Khan 58, Sagar Kalyan 30,  Malinda Pushpakumara 2 for 32, Riaz Khaliq Kaku 2 for 13) Warriors Cricket Club 149 for 5 in 18 overs (Usman Khan 105, Sajjad Malook 2 for 14, Shahbaz Ali 2 for 12)
Player of the Match: Usman Khan

Big win for Shahram Dubai Knights

In the first match of the day, First Abu Dhabi Bank won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Tariq Zahir got out at the score of 13 clean bowled by Muhammad Irfan for 5. One-drop Muhammad Aslam too got bowled by Sikander Khan for 3 at the score of 30. Thereafter, wickets kept on falling at regular intervals. Opener Karthik who kept the scoreboard moving also got out for 25, clean bowled by Muhammad Shahram. Then Arunalu De Silva fell trapped leg before by Faris Fasal for 1.


However, the experienced Naeemuddin Aslam kept the scoreboard moving.  Joel walked in and hit a six but got out clean bowled by Faris Fasil for 7. At the score of 75, First Abu Dhabi Bank lost Naeemuddin Aslam to Muhammad Shahram for 26. Skipper Sajish Siva got caught behind by wicketkeeper Abdul Khaliq for 9. This was followed by Mujahid getting out to Muhammad Umair for 7 and Sikander Khan clean bowling Rahman Ghani for 11. When Usman Ashraf got run out a duck, First Abu Dhabi Bank got bowled out for 105 in 18.5 overs.


Chasing the total, Shahram Dubai Knights also lost their first wicket at the score of 13 when opener  Abdul Khaliq became Sajish Siva’s first victim for 7. Opener Muhammad Irfan took the score to 42 with Uzair Maan before Irfan got out to Sajish Siva for 29. At the score of 55, Sajish Siva struck again to remove Uzair Maan for 18.

Rashid Habib and Zahid Ameer then carried their team closer to the target. Usman Ashraf got Rashid Habib out for 27. Zahid Ameer stayed on with an unbeaten 14 and along with Muhammad Shahram (4n.o) won the match in just 10.3 overs.

Brief scores:
Shahram Dubai Knights bt First Abu Dhabi Bank by 6 wkts. First Abu Dhabi Bank 105 in 18.5 overs (Karthik 25, Naeemuddin Aslam 26, Sikander Khan 2 for 18, Muhammad Shahram 2 for 31, Faris Fasil 2 for 20) Shahram Dubai Knights 106 for 4 in 10.3 overs (Muhammad Irfan 29, Rashid Habib 27, Sajish Siva 3 for 41)
Player of the Match: Muhammad Irfan

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