Lovepreet Bajwa’s love for classy knocks powers Z Games Strikers to four-wicket win

By K.R. Nayar

Sharjah: Lovepreet Bajwa’s love for aggressive, match-winning knocks powered Z Games Strikers to a four-wicket win over Gems Education Cricket Club in the 49th Bukhatir League, sponsored by Seven Districts, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Bajwa remained unbeaten on 116 off 95 balls, striking nine boundaries and four sixes. He was well supported by UAE’s consistent batter Alishan Sharafu, who scored 50 off 47 balls with eight boundaries and one six, as they successfully chased down a target of 273 runs in 42 overs.

Lovepreet Bajwa receives the Player of the Match award from match referee Tehseen Javed

Gems Education, asked to bat first, were restricted to 272 in 44.2 overs, thanks to fine bowling by Gatin Wadhwa, who took 3 for 46. He was well supported by Aayan Afzal Khan (2 for 39) and Aryan Saxena (2 for 14). The standout performer for Gems Education was Ahmad Khalid, who played a gem of an innings, scoring 75 off 48 balls with six boundaries and six sixes. His valiant effort gave Gems a challenging total, but it ultimately went in vain.

Gatin Wadhwa.., fine spell 

Gems started briskly, with opener Uzair Maan going for his shots. He scored 26 runs in the opening partnership of 38, hitting four boundaries and a six before being caught behind by wicketkeeper Bajwa off Zeeshan Naseer. Afzal Khan struck in the 11th over, clean bowling fellow opener Usman Raja for 8. Skipper Muhammad Anwar batted fluently and took the score past the 100-run mark in 15.1 overs. Wadhwa ended Anwar’s knock of 41 (38 balls, 4x4, 2x6) and also dismissed Deepak, who had settled in with 21 runs. Wadhwa then got Sajid Iqbal caught by Naseer for 11, reducing Gems to 134 for 5 in 23.5 overs.

Ahmad Khalid and Ali then fought hard to lift the run rate. While Ali played the supporting role, Khalid batted fluently, smashing Shahid Bhutta for two sixes and a boundary in the 35th over. The total crossed the 200-run mark, and Khalid brought up his fifty in 40 balls. In the 37th over, he tore into Wadhwa, hitting three consecutive sixes and one more off the last ball to take 27 runs from the over.

Afzal Khan dismissed the dangerous Khalid, having him caught by Naseer for 75. Khalid and Ali had added 105 runs for the sixth wicket. In the 41st over, Saxena struck twice in two balls—getting Ali caught behind by Bajwa for 32 and clean bowling Mazhar Hussain. Zahid Ali then struck twice in the 45th over, clean bowling Balraj Singh for 11 and Shahid Nawaz for a duck, to bowl out Gems for 272.


Chasing a gettable total, Z Games Strikers began cautiously. Gems opening bowler Shahid Nawaz gave away just three runs in the first over, while Muhammad Ali bowled a maiden second over. But it’s always hard to keep Sharafu quiet for long—he struck Ali for two fours and a six off successive deliveries in the fourth over.

Nawaz removed opener and skipper Shahrukh Muhammad Amin, having him caught behind by Sajid Iqbal for 8, ending a 27-run opening partnership. At 34, Ronak Panoly fell to Ali, caught behind for 1. Bajwa then walked in and hit the second ball he faced from Ali for a boundary. Runs began to flow as Sharafu also found the gaps.

Z Games Strikers skipper Shahrukh Muhammad Amin and Gems Education Club skipper Muhammad Anwar during the toss 

In the 15th over, Ali clean bowled Sharafu for 50. The duo had added 52 runs for the third wicket. Ahaan Fernandes joined Bajwa but was soon caught behind by Iqbal off Mazhar Hussain for 7. Bajwa reached his half-century off 46 balls. At the halfway mark, Z Games Strikers were 136 for 4, needing another 137 runs to win.

Shahid Nawaz dealt a blow in the 28th over, dismissing Aayan Afzal Khan, caught by Ahmad Khalid for 15. Bajwa found solid support in Aryan Saxena, and the pair added a vital 72-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Saxena was caught by Iqbal off Hussain for 30—Iqbal’s fourth catch of the innings.

Lovepreet Bajwa with the Player of the Match award. Click cricketlovers.com for extensive coverage of the 49th Bukhatir League 

Next in, Zahid Ali batted fluently. Bajwa reached his century with a six off Muhammad Anwar in the 38th over, taking just 84 balls. Ali accelerated the chase, hitting Nawaz for a six and a four off consecutive deliveries in the 42nd over. Bajwa finished the match by hitting the final ball of that over to remain unbeaten on 116. Ali remained not out on 35 off 19 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. The pair put on an unbeaten 59-run stand for the seventh wicket to seal the win.

Brief scores:
Z Games Strikers bt Gems Education Cricket Club by 4 wkts. Gems Education Cricket Club 272 in 44.2 overs (Uzair Maan 26, Muhammad Anwar 41, Deepak 21, Ali 32, Ahmad Khalid 75, Zahid Ali 2 for 49, Aayan Afzal Khan 2 for 39, Gatin Wadhwa 3 for 46) Z Games Strikers 276 for 6 in 42 overs (Alishan Sharafu 50, Lovepreet Bajwa 116n.o, Aryan Saxena 30, Zahid Ali 35n.o, Shahid Nawaz 2 for 60, Mazhar Hussain 2 for 48)
Player of the Match: Lovepreet Bajwa

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