Dubai: Shuja Haider’s brilliant form helped Gems Education lift the prestigious Dubai Cricket Council’s Ramadan League Cup despite Ali Anwar of Mideast Metals chipping in with an unbeaten 121 in the final at the Sevens ground.
The DCC, still reeling under the pressure of having no cricket ground to stage matches, ensured that this annual tournament is staged with sponsorship from JK White Cement (Fujairah), Arabian Automobile Association (AAA) and Petrotek.
Haider, who bagged the best batsman of the tournament award for piling up 470 runs from his five matches, cracked 85 runs with support from Ali Tipu Sultan (47), Amin Rasool (40) and Ahmad Zaman (36). This helped Gems post 255 for nine in 25 overs. Haider had also hit 75 runs in the semi-final to give Gems a three-wicket win over Old School Boys team.
Mideast’s Ali Anwar too had tried his best to lift his team to the title. He had cracked an unbeaten 85 to ensure Mideast a four wicket win over Dubai Mammoths.
In the final, it was Mideast who won the toss but invited Gems to bat first.
Opener Haider along with Sultan put on 79 runs for the second wicket.
Haider’s 85 came from 41 balls with three sixes and 10 fours.
Tipu Sultan missed his half-century by three runs and his knock came off only 21 balls with two sixes and eight fours. Mohammad Farooq (3 for 32), Mubeen Ali (2 for 30) and Sanchit Sharma (2 for 30) struck but still Gems posted a good total.
Chasing the target, Mideast began well with Yasir Siraj and Khurram Khawaja putting on 58 runs but Zafar Raja picked two quick wickets. Man of the Match Sultan removed Irfan Ashraf (2) and Yasir Siraj (36) and Mideast slipped to 63 for four.
Anwar then produced the resistance and hit eight sixes and 11 boundaries, but Mideast still fell short by 36 runs.
