Sharjah: UAE all-rounder Mohammad Naveed made UAE cricketers in the Heera Group T10 Cricket League especially proud during the third match of the tournament when he hit the winning shot for Bengal Tigers in a tense match against Punjabi Legends at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Chasing a target of 100 to win, Bengal Tigers slipped to 81 for 7 in 7.5 overs before Anwar Ali and Naveed fought gallantly to ensure the three-wicket victory with just four balls to spare. Naveed stepped out and hit Usama Mir out of the ground to usher in the victory and remain unbeaten with 11 valuable runs. Ali remained unbeaten on 14 with two sixes
The eighth-wicket partnership of 24 runs in 1.3 overs came at a time when Pakistan’s pacer Hasan Ali removed Bengal’s top stars David Miller and Darren Sammy in the seventh over. However, Bengal got back into the game through Aamer Yamin, who hit 18 runs off five balls with three sixes. Carlos Brathwaite, who bowled the eighth over gave away 22 runs.
Earlier, Punjabi Legends, after winning the toss, elected to bat. Umar Akmal and captain Shoaib Malek enthralled the Friday crowd with some well-timed shots. Akmal hit 38 runs off 25 balls with four boundaries and two sixes while Malek scored 30 off 15 balls with four boundaries and one six.
If not for Naveed and Anwar’s stubborn partnership, Punjab’s Hasan Ali would have walked away as the matchwinner. He took four wickets for just seven runs from his two overs.
Brief scores:
Bengal Tigers bt Punjabi Legends by three wickets. Punjabi Legends 99 for 6 in 10 overs (Umar Akmal 38, Shoaib Malek 30, Marchant de Lange 2 for 21, Anwar Ali 2 for 25) Bengal Tigers 105 for 7 in 9.2 overs (Anwar Ali 14n.o, Mohammad Naveed 11n.o, Hasan Ali 4 for 7, Carlos Brathwaite 2 for 35)
