Dubai: Star Indian batsman Virender Sehwag has vouched that rising spectator expectations will fuel the growth of the newly-introduced Masters Champions League (MCL).

Sehwag led his Gemini Arabians to a clinical 16-run victory over the Leo Lions in an exciting final to lift the inaugural MCL crown at the Dubai Cricket Stadium late on Saturday.

The mainstay of the Arabians’ batting line-up through the league stages along with Kumar Sangakkara, Sehwag departed early and that saw his side slip to 130 for 7 in their allotted overs. But then the bowlers took over – Rana Naved-ul-Hasan coming in with a devastating 17th over in which he bagged a hat-trick – and the Brian Lara-led Leo Lions were skittled out for 114 with three balls remaining. Naved-ul-Hasan went on to take the man of the match award.

However, it was a true team effort from the Gemini Arabians with certain standout performances. First, it was Kyle Mills and Graham Onions sticking to their line and length in the opening overs to reduce the Lions to 3 for 3, and then it was West Indies veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul coming up with a beauty, a two-handed catch on the fence to send the dangerous Scott Styris away just when the Lions were accelerating the scoring rate.

Finally, it was Naved-ul-Hasan who single-handedly ripped through the last part of the Lions’ resistance to end the match with enviable figures of four for 9 runs.

“This tournament has been as good as any other league in the world of cricket. We have had some really close matches and there have many stand-out individual performances. This means that the players here mean business, and this in turn, raises the expectations of the spectators. We have a duty to perform and that duty is to entertain the crowd. I think we have done exactly that, and this is why I think the MCL will grow from here on,” Sehwag told media after the final.

“All six teams that have participated in this event have maintained the standard of cricket. It is not just another league, but a serious competition where all these players are willing to further contribute to a game they have loved and played all their lives. The spectators will come and this tournament will grow further,” the dashing Delhi batsman added.

“We played really well as a team. The owner [Nalin Khaitan] looked after the team very well. But at the end of the day we had to perform on the ground as well, and that is exactly what we did. People who were watching the game have seen that this has been a tough tournament and there are a lot of expectations now.”

Brief Scores: Gemini Arabians def. Leo Lions by 16 runs: Gemini Arabians 130 for 7 in 20 overs (Richard Levi 21, Kumar Sangakkara 30 (26), Justin Kemp 32 not out; Fidel Edwards 2 for 27, Scott Styris 2 for 18). Leo Lions 114 all out in 19.3 overs (Hamish Marshall 46, Brian Lara 28; Kyle Mills 2 for 13, Naved-Ul-Hasan 4 for 9, Muthiah Muralitharan 1 for 24, Saqlain Mushtaq 1 for 12. Man of the Match: Naved-Ul-Hasan (Gemini Arabians).

AWARDS

Most Impactful Player: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Gemini Arabians); Emirati contributor: Adil Farooq (Gemini Arabians); Master Blaster: Hamish Marshall (Leo Lions); Maximum sixes: Justin Kemp (Gemini Arabians); Best Batsman of the Series: Virender Sehwag (Gemini Arabians); Catch of the Match: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Gemini Arabians); MCL Best Bowler of the Match: Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan (Gemini Arabians); Man of the Match: Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan (Gemini Arabians); Man of the Series: Kumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians).

-Ends