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T10 Cricket League – Maratha Arabians vs Pakhtoons: 41 needed off the last over. Mohammad Sami comes in. The last rites for the Arabians now really. The stump had to be changed after Sohail uprooted it in the last ball. Irfan bowls the last over. The third ball is full and wide. Hales slices it past backward point for a four. Moves outside across his stumps and goes over short fine leg. Another boundary. And that’s his fifty. The next ball is a full toss. A yorker gone awry again. and dispatched to the mid-wicket fence. A last ball is a full toss too. Sliced to point. Fielded at the fence. So that’s that. Pakhtoons win by 25 runs. Hales’s innings the only bright spot for the Arabians. An unbeaten 57 off 26 balls for him. Otherwise, a pretty forgettable evening. Preview: Come 14 December, the iconic Sharjah stadium in the United Arab Emirates will reverberate to the thwack of leather on willow. But with a difference. Thanks to the initiative from the UAE-based business tycoon and sports lover Shaji Ul Mulk, the venue will host the first-ever 10 overs cricket league. The ten-over per team matches will be spread over 90 minutes (45 minutes each side). The T10 cricket league has attracted scores of marquee names including Eoin Morgan, Virender Sehwag, Misbah-ul-Haq and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Brian Lara will coach the Kerala Kings led by Morgan. The final will be played on 17 December. [caption id=“attachment_4236587” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Virender Sehwag and Sohail Khan during the launch of Maratha Arabians T10 team. PTI[/caption] The draft for players to the five teams took place on board a luxury yacht berthed at the Dubai Marina in last month. As many as 60 players were chosen by the five teams taking part in these proceedings, with the sixth team Sri Lanka Cricket having already been announced a day prior. “The idea was really to bring cricket into the same time realm as most other sports and 90 minutes or so is the norm. The idea was kicked around and no one could deny there was a certain excitement to the visual aspects of watching the barrage of runs which would accrue or the happily reckless fall of wickets.” Mulk, chairman of the T10 Cricket League, told this correspondent in Dubai. Sharjah’s cricket stadium is a popular place for one-dayers. According to the general manager of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Mazhar Khan, the new dimension to the short-form cricket has the potential to become a runaway hit. “We are seeing the excitement building already and we will see full houses not just out of curiosity but because the lure of the big names is also there. This is instant cricket and the fans will have a great time,” Khan said. “The demographic dictated a concentration on players in the Emirates and nations that are represented in the region,” Mulk said. He underscored the fact that the rules were according to the ICC mandate and though there was a large element of fun in the quick version, the games would be played competitively and professionally. “The desire to be the first winners of a T10 tournament would be a historical achievement and will motivate the players to do their best on the field,” he said. President of the league, Salman Iqbalk, compared T10 to the F1 motor races saying he was confident the format would be here to stay. With IANS inputs.
Highlights T10 League at Sharjah, Maratha Arabians vs Pakhtoons: Arabians trounced by 25 runs
Catch all the live updates of the first day of the T10 Cricket league.
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Maratha Arabians 96/7 after 10 overs (Hales 57, Sami 1; Afridi 3/19)
41 needed off the last over. Mohammad Sami comes in. The last rites for the Arabians now really. The stump had to be changed after Sohail uprooted it in the last ball. Irfan bowls the last over. The third ball is full and wide. Hales slices it past backward point for a four. Moves outside across his stumps and goes over short fine leg. Another boundary. And that’s his fifty. The next ball is a full toss. A yorker gone awry again. and dispatched to the mid-wicket fence. A last ball is a full toss too. Sliced to point. Fielded at the fence. So that’s that. Pakhtoons win by 25 runs. Hales’s innings the only bright spot for the Arabians. An unbeaten 57 off 26 balls for him. Otherwise, a pretty forgettable evening.
Maratha Arabians 81/7 after 9 overs (Hales 43)
Sohail Khan to bowl the penultimate over. A loopy bouncer. Missed by Viljoen. But a single taken. Sohail has a shy at the stumps. A direct vhit was needed. Sohail bowling full, not allowing the batsmen to get underneath the delivery. Followed by a slower delivery. Direct hit effected as the batsmen scamper through for a single. The decision goes upstairs. Not out. The last ball is a slow yorker. Viljoen has a wild swing and is bowled for 10.
Maratha Arabians 76/6 after 8 overs (Viljoen 10, Hales 40)
Imran Khan Junior into the attack. Viljoen gets a full delivery and goes straight for a boundary. Changes of pace and Viljoen misses. Same result on the next ball too. That was not too far from Viljoen’s off pole. A single stolen.
Maratha Arabians 69/6 after 7 overs
Afridi continues. Bowls a wide that runs away to the boundary. Hales goes over the top. Gets a thick edge and the ball is in the gap and trickles away to the backward point fence. A quicker delivery next speared into the pads. Good delivery from Afridi. Hales frees his arms off the next ball and sends the ball into orbit. That’s on the roof. Huge six. One off the last ball. 53 needed off 18 balls now.
Maratha Arabians 52/6 after 6 overs
Sohail Khan is the new bowler and gets the wicket of Imad Wasim. Clean bowled. Viljoen is the new man at the creae. Nearly a mix-up and another wicket. Only a miracle can save the Arabians now. Only three runs from that over.
Maratha Arabians 49/5 after 5 overs
Afridi into the attack. Rossouw pulls and is caught at wide long on. A wicket off the first ball for Afridi. Strategic time out taken. Dwayne Bravo is the new batsman. Bravo caught on the crease. The ball hurried on. Bravo rapped on the pads plumb in front of the stumps. No chance for the batsman. Afridi on a hat-trick! And in comes Virender Sehwag. Right out of the commentary box and into the centre. Can he prevent the hat-trick? No! Sehwag caught dead in front of the stumps. A slider and Sehwag in no position to play that ball. HAT-TRICK FOR SHAHID AFRIDI. Arabians in complate disarray. Imad Wasim the new man in. 73 runs needed off the last 30 balls.
Maratha Arabians 46/2 after 4 overs (Rilee Rossouw 5, Alex Hales 30)
Imran Khan Junior into the attack. A big name to live up too! The first ball is a slower one. Cut away past backward point by Hales for a four. No need to run for that. Khan makes a good comeback with a ball that cramps Hales for room. The fourth ball travels too. Pulled away by Hales in front of square on the leg side for a boundary. Ten runs from that over. Pakhtoons were 51/2 at this stage.
Maratha Arabians 36/2 after 3 overs (Rilee Rossouw 5, Alex Hales 21)
Gul continues. Rossouw heaves one to the mid-wicket fence. Hales gets a juicy, juicy full toss. That is what is called a lollipop delivery. SIX! Gul bowls a slower one. Hales waits and hits it straight over the bowler’s head for consecutive sixes. Heaves the last ball away, but doesn’t get the placement he desires. Single. A fruitful over for the Arabians.
Maratha Arabians 17/2 after 2 overs (Rilee Rossouw 0, Alex Hales 8)
The near-7-feet Mohammad Irfan to bowl the next over. Gets the wicket of Kamran Akmal straightaway. Lendl Simmons comes in. Simmons gives the charge on the second ball he faces. Steep bounce for the very very tall Irfan. Slashes the next ball over cover for four. The fifth ball off the over is a near-yorker. Simmons moves across his stumps and plays onto his stumps. Rilee Rossouw the new man in. Cramped for room as the ball hurries on to him. Hostile over from Irfan.
Maratha Arabians 13/0 after 1 over (Kamran Akmal 5, Alex Hales 8)
The first ball is short of good length. A harmless delivery and Akmal smokes it over cover for a boundary. A single off the next two balls. The fourth ball is bowled with cross seam, and is a slower one that nips back in. Cuts Hales in half. Two runs of fthe fifth ball. The batsman at the non-striker’s end looked a bit lethargic, could have been in trouble had that throw from the deep hit the stumps. Hales smashes the last ball for six, and the Arabians start well.
Pakhtoons 121/4 after 10 overs (Fakhar Zaman 45, Najeeb Zadran 9)
Najeeb Zadran comes in at the fall of Afridi’s wicket. Bravo to bowl the last over. Starts with a fine slower ball. Najeeb gets a six. Then almost a mix-up. Good changes of pace from the wily old Bravo. ‘We want sixerrrr’ calls the crowd. Zaman almost obliges. Flicks the fifth ball away to the square leg fence. Bravo ends with a near yorker. A massive score for the Pakhtoons.
Pakhtoons 107/4 after 9 overs (Fakhar Zaman 40, Najeeb Zadran 0)
Viljoen continues. A four for Zaman, and then one for Afridi. ‘Boom Boom’ sccops it past point. Follows it up with another slice, this time for six. He still has the touch. A wide next. Bit sloppy from Kamran Akmal. A direct hit could have had Afridi in trouble. Afridi misses a loopy bouncer, and takes a stroll out of his crease. Akmal makes amends and hits Afridi’s stumps. Old habits die hard. Four, six, OUT. **Afridi departs.**That’s Afridi for you.
Pakhtoons 88/3 after 8 overs (Fakhar Zaman 35, Shahid Afridi 0)
Amir into the attack. Starts off with a wayward delivery outside off. Wide. Dawson has a go at the next one. Lofts it and just about clears the man at long off. Not well-times but a six all the same. Dawson chases a wide one next. Misses. But Zaman is already at the striker’s end. Dawson has no choice but to run. Amir collects the throw from the ‘keeper and calmly hits the stumps. Dawson run out for 44 off 23 balls. Totally unnecessary from the Pakhtoons. That wicket brings Shahid Afridi to the crease. ‘Aaafridi Aaafridi’ chants in the ground. Amiur vs Afridi is a lip-smacking contest. Beaten off the first ball. The next ball is short-pitched. Afridi ducks underneath and then shadow practises a straight drive. Gets beaten off the last ball, which angles away. Afridi had a nibble at that. Lucky to not get an edge.
Pakhtoons 80/2 after 7 overs (Fakhar Zaman 34, Liam Dawson 38)
Hardus Viljoen into the attack now. The big shots have dried up. The first ball is not timed by Dawson. Single. Zaman throws his bat at the next ball. Slices it to third man. No timing on that. The ball goes high in the air, drops and stops before the fence at third man. Two runs. Zaman takes a single. A bouncer next. Dawson chases it. No contact. Digs the next ball out for a single. The last ball is creamed by Zaman through cover for a four. Nine runs from that over.
Pakhtoons 71/2 after 6 overs (Fakhar Zaman 27, Liam Dawson 36)
DJ Bravo into the attack. Starts with a slower ball. Zaman plays it to cover and tries to sneak a single. The fielder takes a shy at the stump and misses by not much. Zaman was way out of the crease. If that had hit, he would have been miles out. Good changes of pace. The fourth is turned away to backward square leg for a boundary. Bravo got his radar wrong there. It was a juicy full toss too. Ten runs from that over.
Pakhtoons 61/2 after 5 overs (Fakhar Zaman 24, Liam Dawson 29)
Zahoor comes in for the next over. The first ball is guided to short third man by Dawson for one. Unlucky to have not steered it past that fielder. Zaman slashes at a wide one next, and sends the ball swirling over short third man and all the way for a six. That hits the ball boy and nearly cleaned him up. Good variation of pace. Slower delivery beats Zaman’s swing. An attacking shot on the last ball. But can’t find the gap. Fielded at mid-wicket. Single for Zaman. Strategic timeout taken, and some time to catch our breath.
Pakhtoons 51/2 after 4 overs (Fakhar Zaman 16, Liam Dawson 27)
Mohammad Sami in with the next over. Dawson dismisses the first ball for a boundary at mid-wicket. The next ball has him clearing the front foot and taking another golf swing. Huge six. Follows it with another six. Full and gets the treatment. Six over long off. And another one. Six over backward square leg. Dawson tees off. That ball hit the light pole! Fifty up for the Pakhtoons. The Arabians have a problem in their hands. They are having a discussion in the middle. Dawson was looking to hammer the next one too. Doesn’t get the timing. The last ball is hit fiercely to long off. Single. A very productive last over of the powerplay. 23 runs coming off it.
Pakhtoons 28/2 after 3 overs (Fakhar Zaman 16, Liam Dawson 4)
Wasim continues. Huge appeal for LBW as Dawson is rapped on the pads, as he tries to move outside off and sweep it away. Zaman gets stuck into Wasim and smashes two sixes off two balls. A golf-like swing on both occasions. Clean striking.
Pakhtoons 14/2 after 2 overs (Fakhar Zaman 3, Liam Dawson 4)
Mohammad Amir to bowl the second over. Dawson gets an under edge and the ball runs away to the fence. Swing and a miss then as the ball angles away. Beaten by pace off the last ball.
Pakhtoons 7/2 after 1 over (Fakhar Zaman 2, Liam Dawson 0)
Smith takes a wild slog-sweep on the very first ball, misses and has his stumps pegged back. The worst possible start for the Pakhtoons. Smith bowled by Wasim for a duck. The ball came back and skidded on. Fakhar Zaman comes in and is off the mark straightaway. Zaman takes a crack off the fourth ball. Slog sweep. Top edge. It’s a skier. Who wants it? Sehwag hovering underneath it at backward square leg. Just out of his reach. Shehzad gets a four at fine leg. Tries to sweep he next ball. Doesn’t connect properly and the ball trickles on to to the stumps and dislodges the bail. Horrendous start for Pakhtoons.
17-year-old Afghan bowler Mujeeb Zadran adjudged the best bowler.
Ireland’s Paul Stirling is chosen as the best batsman. No surprises there.
Shakib Al Hasan gets the best fielder’s prize.
Stirling is also the Man of the Match.
Kerala Kings 90/2 after 6 overs (Paul Stirling 66, Kieron Pollard 11)
Naveed bowls the next over. The first ball is tickled away fine for a four. A half-hearted appeal next. That ball was going down. Stirling upper cuts for a boundary at third man to tie the scores. He finishes off in style. Turns the next delivery to the fine leg fence. Comprehensive 8-wicket victory for the Kings. What a whirlwind innings by Stirling! With 66 off 27 balls, he totally killed the Tigers off.
Kerala Kings 77/2 after 6 overs (Paul Stirling 58, Kieron Pollard 6)
De Lange back into the attack. An appeal off the first ball. Not out. Stirling smashes two sixes on the trot bring up his fifty. One over mid wicket, another over long off. The next ball is cut ferociously over backward point, and it is a hat-trick of sixes. The Kings are running away with this match.
Kerala Kings 56/2 after 5 overs (Paul Stirling 39, Kieron Pollard 6)
Back after the strategic timeout. Mujeeb continues. Stirling comes down the track off the second ball, converts it into a full toss and collects a straight boundary. A single off the next ball. Cramps Pollard for room with a ball that comes in after pitching. Sarfraz is chirping away as is usual for him. Mujeeb completes his spell. Two overs for 15 runs and the prized wicket of rival captain Morgan. 31 runs neede off 24 balls now.
Kerala Kings 42/2 after 5 overs (Paul Stirling 33, Kieron Pollard 2)
Pollard the next man in. Zahir to bowl the fifth over. Stirling hits the first ball to wide mid on. Horrendous mix-up at the fence. Bengal concedes a boundary. Sarfraz is livid. Stirling comes down the track and goes over cover. One bounce four. Hit with tremendous power. Pollard hits one in the gap and scampers for a brace. Beaten off the last ball that is angling away. Pollard pokes at it, lucky to not have edged it to the ‘keeper. Kerala have made steady progress. With that the teams disperse for a strategic timeout.
Kerala Kings 37/2 after 4 overs (Paul Stirling 24)
Mujeeb into the attack with some spin. Stirling gets his front foot outside the off stumps as he bends down for a sweep. Sweeps fine for a single. Collects a boundary next. A fine cover drive into the gap. The last ball is full. Morgan misses with the sweep. Rapped on the pads. OUT! Hre goes for 11 And that’s the powerplay gone.
Kerala Kings 30/1 after 3 overs (Eoin Morgan 10, Paul Stirling 19)
Mohammad Naveed to bowl the third over. Cut away by Morgan. File stop at point. The Kerala boys steal a single. Throw at the non-striker’s end. That could have been close. Stirling collects a four. Desperate attempt at the backward square leg fence, but to no avail. Turns one off his pads for another boundary in the over. Naveed to getting his line wrong. Bowling away from the batsman’s pads. Wide. Sarfraz shouts instructions from behind the stumps. The last ball is on the leg side again. Stirling moves away on the leg side and drives on the off side for a single. Kerala need 57 runs off 42 balls.
Kerala Kings 19/1 after 2 overs (Eoin Morgan 9, Paul Stirling 9)
De Lange in for the second over. Starts off with a wide. A four for Stirling. A four for Morgan too. Squeezes it past backward point. No chance for the man in the deep. Classy! Stirling into the act again. Flicks the last ball nonchalantly backward of square for a for. Fifteen runs off that over.
Kerala Kings 4/1 after 1 over (Eoin Morgan 4, Paul Stirling 0)
The first ball is too close to cut for Walton. So is the second ball. Walton cuts and misses both. Mohammed Azharuddin is in the stadium. The third ball comes in after pitching. Walton gets a big inside edge. OUT for a duck. Eoin Morgan comes in and is squared uo. Edged to gully. Dropped by Sammy. That should have been taken. Morgan dances down the track and hammers the last ball of the over through point for four.