Moeen Ali’s captain’s knock in vain in Ajman Titans–Quetta Qavalry clash

By K.R. Nayar

Abu Dhabi.  Ajman Titans skipper Moeen Ali produced an innings of pure character, grit and fireworks as his unbeaten 59 rescued his team from a disastrous start in their opening Abu Dhabi T10 clash against Quetta Qavalry at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Stadium. Walking in with the Titans under immense pressure, Moeen lifted his side from 41 for 5 at the halfway stage to a competitive 107 for 7 in their 10 overs, giving them something to fight for after a top-order collapse. Unfortunately, the total, though respectable, wasn’t enough to stop a confident Quetta side from cruising to a seven-wicket victory.

Skipper Moeen Ali....fighting unbeaten half century 

Quetta won the toss and unleashed a superb bowling performance. Pakistan’s spirited medium-pacer Abbas Afridi was simply sensational and delivered a devastating spell that fetched him the Player of the Match award. His three wickets sent shockwaves through the Titans’ top order, who walked back one after another in quick succession. 

Moeen, a battle-hardened warrior for England over the years, then played an innings tailor-made for the T10 format. With clean strikes that produced six towering sixes and four well-placed boundaries, he injected urgency and confidence back into the innings. His 21-ball masterclass at least gave his bowlers a competitive target to defend. 

In response, Quetta openers laid a perfect foundation through UAE star Mohammad Waseem’s brisk 26, skipper Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 26 and Khawaja Nafay’s calm and steady 25 to complete the chase with ease.

Tale of Titans batting

The Titans began with Aneurin Donald and Alex Hales, but the innings stumbled dramatically almost from the outset. Donald fell leg before to only the second ball of the match, trapped by leg-break specialist Ali Majid for a duck. Misfortune continued soon after, with Hales clean bowled by Jason Holder off the fifth delivery of the second over for just 5. The pressure compounded when Rilee Rossouw was bowled by Khuzaima bin Tanveer in the third over for 1, leaving the Titans stunned and reeling at three down in no time.

Will Smeed ... quick 23

Will Smeed finally broke the shackles in the fourth over, treating Majid to a sparkling boundary and two clean sixes to temporarily lift the spirits. But Afridi, determined to own the evening, ended Smeed’s promising cameo by knocking back his stumps with the second ball of the fifth over. Smeed’s 23 off 11, featuring two sixes and a boundary, had at least changed the momentum slightly.

Moeen Ali then began his revival mission in style, flicking Afridi for a boundary to announce his arrival. But Dan Lawrence’s dismissal for 6 in the sixth over — caught by Muhammad Waseem off Tanveer — brought the Titans to a precarious 41 for 5. Chris Green joined Moeen and immediately showed intent by smashing Ali Naseer for a six. Moeen followed up with another boundary and then turned savage on Jason Holder, hammering boundaries off the third and fourth balls before dispatching the last two deliveries for towering sixes — a 22-run explosion that electrified the stadium.

Afridi, however, continued to keep striking for Quetta, removing Green in the ninth over, caught by Fabian Allen for 9. Moeen continued unfazed, launching Afridi for a third maximum, though Piyush Chawla fell off the last ball of the over for 1. In the final over, Moeen lifted Naseer for another soaring six, then reached his half-century in spectacular style off the very next ball — achieving the landmark in just 19 deliveries with four boundaries and five sixes. He followed it with his third successive six off the fourth ball, finishing unbeaten on a blazing 59 and carrying his side beyond the 100-run mark with pride and power.

Quetta’s chase

Chasing 108, Quetta came out charging. Andries Gous set the tone by launching Jason Behrendorff’s second ball of the innings over the ropes, and along with Evin Lewis, milked 13 runs off the first over. In the next over, Lewis struck Akif Javed for consecutive boundaries, but Akif hit back by clean bowling Gous for 13 with the last ball. Wasim Akram then struck in the third over, trapping Lewis leg before also for 13, leaving both openers dismissed for the unlucky number and shifting the responsibility onto Muhammad Waseem and captain Liam Livingstone.

Quetta's Imran Tahir appreciates Moeen Ali's knock 

Waseem responded with authority, smashing Piyush Chawla in the fourth over for a six and two boundaries in consecutive deliveries. Livingstone then joined the fireworks, launching Chris Green for a six to push Quetta over the 50-run mark by 4.2 overs. He capped the over with another six, leaving Quetta needing only 47 runs at the midpoint of their chase.

Behrendorff returned and struck once again, removing Waseem for 26 as Chawla completed the catch. But Khawaja Nafay immediately carried the momentum forward, dispatching the first ball he faced for a six and helping steal 18 runs off the over. Nafay continued by smashing Akram for a six and boundary, and Livingstone followed suit with a boundary and another six, plundering 24 runs from the over. With that burst of dominance, Quetta breezed home to a seven-wicket victory in just 7.2 overs.