Fujairah celebrate beating Abu Dhabi to win Emirates D20 final - in pictures

Harry Bahrwal took four for 12 as Fujairah limited Abu Dhabi to 129 for six from their 20 overs

Fujairah celebrate their victory over Team Abu Dhabi in the Emirates D20 final at the Malek Cricket Ground in Ajman. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

Fujairah players celebrate their victory.

Fujairah players dance in celebration at the Malek Cricket Ground in Ajman.

Fujairah's Umer Farooq hits the winning runs in the Emirates D20 final.

Fujairah players celebrate their win over Team Abu Dhabi.

Fujairah's Umer Farooq celebrates hitting the winning runs against Team Abu Dhabi.

Fujairah celebrate the win.

Fujairah players congratulate Umer Farooq on hitting the winning runs.

Fujairah players celebrate.

Abu Dhabi's Uzair Khan celebrates the wicket of Fujairah's Vishnu Sukumaran

Abu Dhabi's Uzair Khan takes the wicket of Fujairah's Vishnu Sukumaran.

Fujairah's Rohan Mustafa is bowled by Abu Dhabi's Muhammad Uzair.

Fujairah's Rohan Mustafa, right, and Asif Khan run between the wickets.

Fujairah's Rohan Mustafa hits out.

Abu Dhabi's Osama Hassan after a boundary goes passed.

Fujairah's Rohan Mustafa in action.

Fujairah's Muhammad Waseem hits out.

Fujairah's Rohan Mustafa plays a shot.

Abu Dhabi's Uzair Khan.

Team Abu Dhabi take on Fujairah in the final of the Emirates D20 cricket tournament at the Malek Cricket Ground in Ajman.

Abu Dhabi's Fayyaz Ahmed plays a shot.

Abu Dhabi's Attah Urrahim in action.

Abu Dhabi's Attah Urrahim plays a shot.

Fujairah's Muhammad Waseem bowls

Fujairah's Harry Bharwal (not pictured) takes the wicket of Abu Dhabi's Ghulam Murtaza.

Fujairah's Umair Ali celebrates the wicket of Abu Dhabi's Mohammad Kamran Atta.

Fujairah's Umair Ali takes the wicket of Abu Dhabi's Mohammad Kamran Atta.

Abu Dhabi's Mohammad Kamran Atta walks off the pitch after being dismissed.

Abu Dhabi's Ghulam Farid plays a shot.

Fujairah's Kashif Daud takes the wicket of Abu Dhabi's Ghulam Farid.

Abu Dhabi’s re-emergence as a force in domestic cricket was halted at the last by a Fujairah side laden with international players in the final of the Emirates D20 on Tuesday night.

The side from the capital have struggled to make an impression since domestic cricket was revamped at the end of lockdown in 2020.

In the series of D10 and D20 tournaments to be played since then, they have frequently been among the also rans.

That changed in the latest incarnation of the 20-over competition, as they blazed a trail to the final at the Malek Oval in Ajman.

Their side included just one UAE representative, and even he is a long time out of the national team reckoning.

Fayyaz Ahmed led the way for his side. The 39-year-old Al Ain resident, who played the last of his three ODIs for UAE six years ago, took 18 wickets in the 12 matches played to the final.

His inexperienced Abu Dhabi side pushed a Fujairah outfit which included some of the stars of the national team that is heading to the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.

Muhammad Waseem, Rohan Mustafa and Kashif Daud are the backbone of the UAE team, while Usman Khan has played in the Pakistan Super League.

It was one of Fujairah’s lesser-known players who earned the match award. Harry Bahrwal took four for 12 as they limited Abu Dhabi to 129 for six from their 20 overs.

Uzair Khan played a fine hand in making Abu Dhabi competitive. His 16-ball cameo at the end of the innings brought him three huge sixes and 39 not out in total.

He was also excellent with the ball, taking two for 19 with his fiery left-arm pace, but the winning runs were scored from the fourth ball of his final over.