Samp Army extend winning streak to three with victory over Delhi Bulls in Abu Dhabi T10

Hazratullah Zazai’s 20-ball 57 goes in vain as Bangla Tigers clinch thriller over Northern Warriors

Captain Moeen Ali celebrates with his Morrisville Samp Army teammates after taking the wicket of Quinton de Kock of Delhi Bulls in the 2023 Abu Dhabi T10 league at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on December 3, 2023. All photos: ADT10

Moeen Ali and Peter Hatzoglou of Morrisville Samp Army celebrate the wicket of James Vince of Delhi Bulls.

Ravi Bopara of Delhi Bulls.

Skipper Rovman Powell of Delhi Bulls plays a shot.

Hazratullah Zazai of Northern Warriors plays a shot against Bangla Tigers.

Bangla Tigers celebrate a wicket in their game against Northern Warriors.

The Morrisville Samp Army captain Moeen Ali said the best is yet to come from his side after they extended their winning streak to three from four games in the Abu Dhabi T10.

Having restricted Delhi Bulls to 95 for eight, Samp Army got home in a thriller with a couple of deliveries to spare at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

They required 12 from the final over from the Bulls captain Rovman Powell. Najibullah Zadran (25 off 12 with 1 six and two fours) sent the second ball over the long-off boundary for six, ran a couple in the next before sealing the game with a four to the long-on fence.

“We are just picking up the momentum at the right time. We are winning quite ugly at times, which is quite nice in a competition we haven’t played our perfect game in but, hopefully, that will come in the next couple of games,” Moeen said.

“We have been bowling and fielding really well and that makes my life as the captain much easier. I think we are one of the best sides in the competition, and tonight chasing 95 and getting it was an awesome performance.”

Jason Holder provided the early break by having the dangerous Johnson Charles (9) caught behind by Andries Gous in the opening over. The lanky West Indian finished with three for 15 from his two overs and Salman Irshad returned with three for 14.

“The conditions are pretty much suited to my style of bowling and I was able to take an early wicket as well and get some dot balls in the front,” Holder, who was picking up his second successive Player of the Match award, said.

On the low-scoring game Holder felt as a bowler he was always in it but the batter has to spend time at the wicket.

“It’s not a wicket where you can strike from ball one. So, it was tricky conditions with a little bit of swing, so as a batter you still need to give a few balls to get in,” he said.

The game that followed was another cracker and super entertainment for the 8,000-plus holiday crowd at the stadium.

Bangla Tigers left it late to clinch a two-run thriller over Northern Warriors.

The Tigers posted 137 for four and the Warriors raced to 110 for three in 7.3 overs but fell two runs short at the end.

The Warriors required 17 from the last over. James Neesham did well to dispatch two fours but a wide in between and then three singles and a two didn’t help their cause.

David Miller hit 50 from 24 balls and useful contributions from Jordan Cox (35 off 16) and Kusal Mendis (20 off 10) helped the Tigers to reach a total that appeared one they could defend.

Kennar Lewis (22 off 9) and Hazratullah Zazai set the fireworks with a 54-run opening stand in 19 balls.

Zazai pummelled five sixes and an equal number of fours for a 20-ball 57 but fell at 100 with a delivery left in the sixth over. The Warriors lost three wickets for 10 before Neesham (23 not out) joined by Ziaur Rahman, leaving them to get 26 in 14 balls.

After two thrilling games, the third ended with Deccan Gladiators running away as 10-wicket winners over Chennai Braves.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, 44 not out in 19 balls, and the Gladiators captain Nicholas Pooran 35, also off 19 deliveries, took their team over the line in 6.1 overs after restricting the Braves to 83 for eight.