Abu Dhabi: New York Strikers’ left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein’s deadly five-wicket haul which included a hat-trick and their opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s half-century carried their team into the final of the Abu Dhabi T10.
Morrisville Samp Army were restricted to 80 for 9 through Hosein’s spell of five wickets for just six runs from his two overs. New York Strikers’ impressive total of 121 for 5 in 10 that was carved out of Gurbaz’s brilliant 56 off 28 balls with five sixes and four boundaries. Table toppers Samp Army crashed to a 41-run defeat in the Qualifier 1 match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
New York lifted their game when it mattered most as they had lost to Samp Army in their last league round match on Thursday night. Samp Army had even bowled out New York for 70 runs in that match. In this match, Samp Army slipped before the bowling of Hosein’s destructive first over.
Hosein with the third ball got Andries Gous clean bowled with a delivery that went through his defence. The fourth ball saw Dewald Brevis play into the hands of Karunaratne at point. With the fifth ball, he clean-bowled Ibrahim Zadran, who went for a cut and played onto his wicket. He became the eighth player to bag a hat-trick in Abu Dhabi T10.
Samp Army will now play the winner of the eliminator in the second qualifier for another shot to reach the final in the last match of the day.
Brief scores:
New York Strikers bt Samp Army by 41 runs. New York Strikers 121 for 5 in 10 overs (Rahmanulah Gurbaz 56, Qais Ahmad 2 for 24) Samp Army 80 for 9 in 10 overs (Jason Holder 22, Qais Ahmad 31n.o, Akeal Hosein 5 for 6, Muhammad Jawadullah 2 for 13)
Player of the Match: Akeal Hosein
