Sharjah: Sharjah Cricket Council has introduced cash incentives for top performers at every match in the 26th Bukhatir League Twenty20 tournament. The council, one of the most active with tournaments staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Al Dhaid Cricket Village, will now give away not only a man of the match award but also reward the best batsman and bowler of the tie.
Speaking to Gulf News, Mazhar Khan, secretary of the Sharjah Cricket Council, said: “Our council will award a cash prize of Dh100 for the best batsman, best bowler and the man of the match throughout the ongoing Bukhatir League T20 Tournament. This will be a boost for the outstanding performers.”
This is the first time that cash awards have been given by a council for the top three performers of every match in a UAE domestic tournament. Cash awards have so far been given only to man of the match and on conclusion of the tournament to the best batsman and bowler of the event.
The UCT Sharjah that secured a comfortable 54-run victory over Power House in the 26th Bukhatir League T20 Tournament at the Al Dhaid Cricket Village saw the best batsman Jameel Mohammad Aslam, best bowler Mohammad Ajmal and man of the match Usman Butt receive Dh100 each. Jameel had cracked 53 runs to help UCT post 160 for 6 in 20 overs and Ajmal took two crucial wickets to restrict Power House to 106 in 20 overs. Butt had also taken two wickets to wreck the Power House batting.
In another match, Sri Lanka Cricket Club registered a 51-run victory over UAE Panthers to reach the semi-finals. Susantha Jayalal, who won the best batsman prize, cracked 50 runs in Sri Lanka’s total of 190 for 9 in 20 overs and Sumit Kumar who restricted UAE Panthers to 139 in 18 overs with a spell of four wickets for 19 runs, won the man of the match award. Danushka Priyadarshan was best bowler with three wickets for 10 runs.
Brief scores:
UCT Sharjah bt Power House by 54 runs. UCT Sharjah: 160 for 6 in 20 overs (Naveed Tufail 31, Jameel Mohammad Aslam 53, Sheraz Khan 28, Ayaz Khan 2 for 28, Farrukh Akhtar 2 for 32). Power House: 106 in 20 overs (Miraj Khan 23, Mohammad Ajmal 2 for 16, Usman Butt 2 for 16).
Sri Lankan CC bt UAE Panthers by 51 runs. Sri Lankan CC: 190 for 9 in 20 overs (Richard Gunaserana 26, Susantha Jayalal 50, Rawan Chamara 31n.o, Ahsan Ali 2 for 21, Akmal Mohammad 2 for 0). UAE Panthers: 139 in 18 overs (Sabir Khan 25, Hasad Aryan 40, Sunny 21; Danushka Priyadarshan 3 for 10, Sumit Kumar 4 for 19).
