Dubai. Al Nabooda Insurance Brokers (ANIB) XI on Top added another tournament victory to their list of triumphs in the UAE’s leading domestic tournaments. In the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy Summer Cricket League tournament final, ANIB scored an emphatic seven-wicket win over Brother Gas.
ANIB skipper Neville Pereira put the team on the path to victory through a deadly spell of three wickets for six runs backed by Naveed Siddiqui and Ahsan Shahzad with two wickets each. Their tight bowling resulted in Brother Gas being bowled out for a paltry 78 runs in 17.1 overs at the ICC Academy ground in Dubai Sports City.
Speaking to Gulf News after lifting the trophy, Pereira said: “It is a great start to our cricket season. The boys are upbeat and performing to expectations. Our regular fitness sessions have started paying us rich dividends and the final game was a great testimonial to that improved fitness. In the final, our disciplined bowling performance was the key factor in our win.”
After ANIB’s opening bowler Sabir Rao removed Brother Gas opener Faheem Shafique for one run, Siddiqui removed the other opener Adnan Khan and one-drop Qasim Basheer quickly. Though Abid Jutt withstood the attack to score 13 runs, Pereira got him out too. At one stage Brother Gas were 50 for eight but their Nos. 9 and 10 Sabarish Karkala (14) and Saravanan Swami (15) put up a brief resistance. “Our recent victories include Umm Al Quwain Municipality Cup and Everest Friday League and we want to keep winning titles regularly in the coming months,” said Pereira.
Chasing the easy target, opener Rajesh Kotta and Mahesh Shetty put on a quick 32-run partnership Rajesh Kotta hit 21 runs off 16 balls with four boundaries while consistent Mahesh Shetty hit a 34-ball 30 runs containing four fours and a six. Fanus Kanwal hit an unbeaten 11 runs and ANIB XI reached the target in 11.2 overs. Nevile received the man of the match award sponsored by Sol Group Intex.
