Sharjah: The ongoing One Stop Tourism 43rd Bukhatir Premier League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, organised by the Sharjah Cricket Council, is contested by teams from different emirates in the UAE. Last week saw Abu Dhabi’s top teams sparkle in the event with creditable victories.
United Bank Limited (UBL) recorded to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Sharjah Cricket Club while New Medical Centre defeated ECB Blues by seven wickets. Mohammad Boota was the star performer in UBL’s victory. Batting first, Sharjah Cricket Club lost opener Laxman Sreekumar for 21 off 34 balls. Ghulam Fareed and Adnan Mufti put on a century stand for the third wicket. Mufti hit 42 from 50 balls with four boundaries. Ghulam Fareed departed after scoring 80 from 111 balls, studded with eight boundaries. Sharjah Cricket Club posted 230 in 44.2 overs. Zaheer Maqsood bagged four wickets in his seven overs while Mohammad Naveed Saleem took three wickets.
UBL began their chase well with Syed Maqsood and Zawar Fareed sharing 47 runs for the opening wicket. Maqsood fell for 31 while Fareeq score 41. Boota then hit an unbeaten 71-ball 93 runs with four boundaries and seven sixes while Saqlain Haider gave him company with a 50-ball 31 as UBL overhauled the target with eight balls to spare.
In NMC’s seven-wicket win over ECB Blues, their batsmen Abid Ali and Shahbaz Ahmad cracked unbeaten half centuries. Batting first, ECB posted 211 in 43.2 overs through Prince Panu’s unbeaten 95 runs.
NMC reached the target through Ali’s unbeaten 83 and Ahmad’s unconquered 54.
Brief scores:
UBL bt Sharjah Cricket Club by 5 wickets. Sharjah CC 230 in 44.2 overs (Laxman Sreekumar 21, Ghulam Fareed 80, Adnan Mufti 42, Kashif Daud 28; Zaheer Maqsood 4 for 31, Mohammad Naveed Saleem 3 for 34) UBL 235 for 5 in 41.5 overs (Syed Maqsood 31, Zawar Fareed 41, Babar Hussain 24, Mohammad Boota 93 n.o., Saqlain Haider 31; Khaalid Moothosamy 2 for 54). Man of the match: Mohammad Boota.
NMC bt ECB Blues by 7 wickets. ECB Blues 211 in 43.2 overs (Sagheer Afridi 29, Prince Panu 95 not out, A Rehman 23; Ghulam Murtaza 2 for 42, Awais Aftab 2 for 30, Nisar Ahmad 2 for 44, Owais Sarfraz 2 for 36). NMC: 214 for 3 in 26 overs (Fayyaz Ahmed 23, Niresh Fernando 35, Shahbaz Ahmed 54 n.o., Abid Ali 83 n.o.; H. Bilal 3 for 60). Man of the match: Abid Ali.