Sports Bulletin

Salman KhanMULTAN: Multan Sultans defeated Islamabad United by five wickets in the HBL PSL 9 here at Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, as this was second back-to-back victory for Multan Sultans. Multan Sultans’ decision to field first paid dividends as Islamabad United lost two early wickets. Carrying on his form from the previous game, left-arm pacer David Willey once again provided the first breakthrough for Multan Sultans as he took out opening batter Alex Hales for just two runs in the third over. Drama ensued in the following over as Colin Munro was caught on the first ball but the bowler overstepped, awarding the Islamabad opening batter a second chance. Only three deliveries later, Ali redeemed himself as he rattled Munro’s (8, 13b, 1x4) stumps. The fourth batter in, Jordan Cox, took charge from the get-go as he announced himself on the crease with a maximum against Willey on just the fourth ball he faced. In the next over, he produced a boundary against Olly Stone to help Islamabad United end the powerplay at 32 for two. Salman Ali Agha and Cox led the recovery for Islamabad. The two took on right-arm pacer Abbas Afridi, amassing 26 runs off his first two overs, as runs started to flow for the team after the powerplay. Khushdil Shah’s misjudgment in the deep cost two catches – in the seventh and ninth overs – as the third-wicket partnership grew to mount pressure on the home team. Leg-spinner Usama Mir struck in the 12th over to cut short the third-wicket stand after he trapped Cox leg-before. The English batter, who had reviewed the on-field umpire’s decision, walked back for a 41 on 28 on the back of two boundaries and as many maximums after the DRS showed three reds. Azam Khan could only manage to produce 13 from 10, including a four and a six, before he was caught by Willey at long-on, awarding Usama his second wicket of the night. Imad Wasim bagged a three-ball duck to bring Islamabad United down to 105-5 in 14.4 overs. Skipper Shadab Khan joined Salman on the crease. The pair added 35 runs for the sixth-wicket stand before Shadab (11, 9b, 1x4) fell to Abbas. A ball later, Abbas got his third wicket of the night after Salman (52, 43b, 3x4s, 2x6s) was caught by Khushdil. Ali dismissed Faheem Ashraf and Ubaid Shah cheaply and Naseem Shah was run out in the final over as Islamabad United finished at 144 in 20 overs. Ali, bagging three wickets at the expense of just 19 runs, was awarded player of the match for his crucial bowling effort. Abbas too picked up three wickets, while Usama had two to his name. Willey returned with one scalp as well.Defending 145, Islamabad United got off to a strong start as Naseem shattered opening batter Dawid Malan’s middle stumps, who had to return for a two-ball duck. Reeza Hendricks joined Mohammad Rizwan in the center and the two successfully saw through Naseem’s incredible new ball spell. They stitched a solid partnership yielding 71 runs to bring stability to the innings, until Rizwan (43, 33b, 6x4s, 2x6s) fell to his counterpart who had brought himself into the attack in the 11th over. Yasir Khan made eight off 11 before he fell victim to Imad, courtesy of a magnificent relay catch by Cox and Hales at deep midwicket. Hendricks took on Shadab in the 17th over, smashing a six and two fours on three consecutive deliveries to complete his half-century whilst bringing his team closer to the target.Shortly after, Tymal Mills struck to remove Hendricks (58, 46b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Naseem got Khushdil for just three runs in the penultimate over. Iftikhar Ahmed (18 not out, 17b, 1x6) and Willey (7 not out, 6b, 1x4), facing Mills in the final over, completed the remaining four runs to finish the game for Multan Sultans, with one ball to spare. Naseem was the best bowler for Islamabad United, picking up two wickets for 27 runs in four overs. Shadab, Imad and Mills had a wicket each. 

LAHORE (Press Release): Lahore Qalandars have strengthened their squad by welcoming South African left-arm spinner, George Linde, into their ranks. Linde, who has just arrived in Multan, is now eligible for selection in the upcoming clash against Multan Sultans scheduled for February 21.New Zealand’s hard-hitting middle-order batter, Tom Bruce, is also on his way to join the squad and will be fully available on the bench from February 24 onward. With his addition, Lahore Qalandars’ roster with overseas player will be fully completed.Lahore Qalandars are without the services of Rashid Khan (recovering from a back injury), Dan Lawrence (missed out due to national selection for England), Shai Hopes (playing in BPL and partially available), and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (did not receive NOC).Lorcan Tucker, the Irish wicket-keeper who flew in for the opening game against Islamabad, will return after the Multan leg. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Quetta Gladiators registered their second win of HBL PSL 9 as they sealed the game against home team, Lahore Qalandars, by a margin of five wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday night.Khawaja Nafay, playing his second HBL PSL game, starred with a glitzy unbeaten half-century after walking into bat at number three. Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars succumbed to their second consecutive loss.In pursuit of a challenging 188-run target against the home team, Quetta Gladiators' opening batters once again gave the team a solid start. Saud flicked Shaheen Shah Afridi toward deep fine on the last ball of opening over to register his first boundary of the game.On the last ball of the third over, he hit Shaheen for an outrageous six over the keeper’s head. Jason Roy too joined him in the act as he hit Jahandad Khan for two boundaries in the fifth over. The duo brought up fifty-partnership in five overs while the powerplay yielded 61 runs.Saud (40, 23b, 7x4s, 1x6) was outfoxed by a Zaman Khan yorker on the fifth ball of the seventh over giving Lahore their first breakthrough. Three balls later Sikandar Raza hit Roy’s stumps as he departed for 19 ball 24 with the help of four boundaries. The 29-run third-wicket partnership between Rilee Rossouw (18, 13b, 3x4s) and Khawaja Nafay lasted for 19 balls before Haris Rauf got rid of Rossouw in the 11th over.On the first and fifth ball of the same over, Nafay let loose and hit Haris Rauf for two towering sixes injecting momentum into Quetta’s innings. The 22-year-old held his nerve through challenging times while living up to the hype that led to his arrival at the HBL PSL. Leg-spinner Salman Fayyaz struck in the 14th over to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed, leaving Quetta 130-4 with 58 runs required from 41 balls.Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with 14 off 12 balls before Shaheen Shah Afridi knocked him over in the 17th over. Nafay brought up his maiden HBL PSL fifty off 29 balls, by hitting Rauf over wide mid-off in the following over.Quetta chased the 188-run target with five balls to spare and winning runs coming off the bat off Nafay who returned undefeated on 60 off 31 balls, laced with four boundaries and three sixes.Earlier in the evening, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and opted to bat first. Akeal Hosein took the new ball for Quetta. Fakhar Zaman got an early reprieve on the second ball of the opening over as he chipped the ball to Mohammad Wasim Jnr in the covers who dropped an easy catch.Fakhar’s (6, 9b) struggle came to an end on the first ball of the third over as he handed a straight catch to Jason Roy at mid-on..Sahibzada Farhan and Rassie Van der Dussen upped the ante with a few boundaries in the powerplay despite a disciplined start by Quetta’s bowlers. Lahore finished the powerplay with 43 runs for the loss of one wicket.Abrar Ahmed was introduced to the attack in the seventh over of the innings and he tested Sahibzada with tight lines who replied with a four over extra cover and six over deep mid-wicket on the last two balls of the over.Abrar returned an over later to tilt the balance of the game in Quetta’s favour by removing Rassie van der Dussen, with a ball that pitched on good length slightly outside off-stump and deceived the batter with a bit of turn before crashing into the stumps.Sahibzada brought up his half-century off 39 balls, his second consecutive HBL PSL half-century. The fifth ball of the 13th over saw Sahibzada (62, 43b, 6x4s, 3x6s) removed by Hasnain, caught by Nafay, before hitting back-to-back sixes in the same over. Left-hand batter Jahandad was promoted up the order and he came out all guns blazing hitting the first ball for four, a harbinger of what was to follow.Abdullah (11, 10b, 1x6) departed in the 14th over after he was caught behind off the bowling off Hosein. Jahandad and Sikandar Raza got together to stitch a quick-fire partnership of 45 runs off just 21 balls. Jahandad amassed 23 runs off the 16th over against Abrar, where he hit three massive sixes, showcasing his pinch-hitting ability. The partnership was broken by Mohammad Amir who dismissed Raza (18, 12b, 1x4, 1x6) on the fourth ball of the 17th over.Lahore collected 34 runs off the last three overs as they ended on 187 for seven in their 20 overs. Skipper Shaheen chipped in with a cameo of 12 off eight balls, which included a first-ball six, while Jahandad finished 45 not out off just 17 balls, smashing three fours and four maximums.For Quetta, Hasnain and Hosein bagged two wickets apiece while Amir, Wasim Jnr and Abrar chipped in with one wicket each.

Shadab Khan (74 not out), Salman Ali Agha (64 not out) supermen of the gameSports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Islamabad United (IU) surprised Lahore Qalandars by 8 wickets in the opening match of the HBL PSL Season 9 here at Qaddafi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. Shadab Khan (74 not out), and Salman Ali Agha (64 not out, 31b, 7x4s, 3x6s) were the supermen of the game.In pursuit of 196 run target, United got off to a confident start, scoring 50 runs in the powerplay while only losing Colin Munro (5, 11b, 1x4) in the process. In the next over, skipper Shadab, coming in to bat at number three, welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries keeping the run flow intact.Requiring 44 off five overs, the 16th over went for 12 runs, while the next over went for 14 runs, with Shadab smashing Haris for two maximums in the over. The 18th over bowled by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was another expensive over for the home side, as United batter Salman dispatched the left-arm pacer for a four and a six and collected 15 runs in the over.With three runs required off the final two overs, Shadab finished off the game with a six over long-on as United won the game with 10 balls to spare. Shadab returned undefeated on 74 off 41 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes, while Salman scored 64 not out off 31 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.Earlier, after being put into bat first, Qalandars got off to a brisk start with the opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman adding 66 runs in the powerplay. The partnership was broken by Shadab, who took the prized scalp of Fakhar (13, 13b, 1x4) in the seventh over with 67 runs on the board for the home side.Right-hand batter Sahibzada Farhan was joined by Rassie van der Dussen and the pair could add only 22 runs to the total before Sahibzada (57, 36b, 8x4s, 1x6) fell to left-arm pacer Tymal Mills in the 11th over. Abdullah Shafique came into bat at number four and struck three towering sixes during his stay on the crease accumulating 28 off 22 balls.That the Qalandars were able to post 195 for five in their 20 overs was largely due to van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock of 71 off 41 balls, which included four fours and three sixes. The South African batter, who had featured for United in the last edition of HBL PSL, brought up his maiden HBL PSL half-century in today’s game off just 31 balls.For United, Naseem Shah, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of almost six months, returned with figures of 4-0-36-1. Leg-spinner Shadab, also returning from injury, gave away 24 runs bagging a solitary wicket in his quota of four overs. Mills was the most successful bowler for United, bagging two wickets for 45 runs in four overs.dars 195-5, 20 overs, (Rassie van der Dussen 71 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 57, Abdullah Shafique 28; Tymal Mills 2-45, Shadab Khan 1-24)Today’s Fixtures:Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (2pm)Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm)

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: The HBL PSL ninth edition is around the corner with some of the leading stars of limited-overs cricket raring to light up cricket grounds in Pakistan. With a new coach and captain, Karachi Kings enter HBL PSL 9 with oodles of optimism and they'll show faith in their local talent as well as global star power to rebound. Karachi Kings will get their campaign underway on 18 February against Multan Sultans at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium.They've snapped up West Indies superstar Kieron Pollard in their squad who will try to swing their fortunes with his all-round capabilities. They have also secured the services of Australia all-rounder Daniel Sams as well as retained seasoned campaigner Shoaib Malik. Pace bowling is further stacked with Mir Hamza and Anwar Ali who will provide squad depth given their vast domestic experience and international exposure as well.Karachi Kings managed to bag only three wins in the 2023 season and despite having the firepower in their ranks to spring more surprises, they could not coalesce as a unit.The team's ethos includes resilience and a fighting spirit, and they'll be aiming to rejuvenate this season and give Karachi fans a lot to cheer about. The 2020 HBL PSL champions are determined to hit the ground running early on as the highly-experienced Shoaib Malik will be looking to shine at the twilight of his career.Phil Simmons comes with a wealth of coaching experience. He coached West Indies and is at present the head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket (MLC).“The decision to bring in Phil Simmons as head coach was influenced by his impressive credentials, including being a T20 World Cup-winning coach. His experience in guiding teams to success at the highest level adds a valuable dimension to our coaching setup, and we look forward to harnessing his expertise for a successful campaign in the upcoming HBL PSL edition and to build a team for the future”, said Salman Iqbal, owner of Karachi Kings.Kings retained Shan Masood as their captain who currently leads the Pakistan Test team. Karachi Kings’ director Haider Azhar shed light on the decision to appoint Shan as skipper of the side. He said: “Securing Shan Masood for Karachi Kings was nothing short of a coup for us. His leadership qualities and captaincy feats are well-documented and we are proud to have a local boy from Karachi lead the team. On a personal note, having worked closely with Shan in the past, I believe he is the ideal captain for our team that will be undergoing a transitional phase and we expect him to be central to our project.”Karachi Kings fixtures for HBL PSL 918 February v Multan Sultans, Multan Cricket Stadium21 February v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore24 February v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore28 February v Islamabad United, National Bank Stadium, Karachi29 February v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium, Karachi3 March v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium, Karachi6 March v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi7 March v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi9 March v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Stadium, Karachi11 March v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Stadium, Karachi

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): New York Superstar Strikers proudly announce the signing of cricket legend Yuvraj Singh as the captain and icon player for the upcoming Legends Cricket Trophy Season 2, marking a significant milestone in the team's journey towards sporting excellence. Yuvraj's addition enriches the squad with a depth of expertise, skill, and leadership, fortifying New York Superstar Strikers' readiness to lead in the upcoming edition of the tournament The announcement of Yuvraj Singh's leadership role has elevated the excitement surrounding New York Superstar Strikers' participation in the Legends Cricket Trophy Season 2, igniting enthusiasm among fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide. With a skilled roster comprising Babar Azam, Rashid Khan, Keiron Pollard Imam Ul Haq, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asif Ali, and Mohammad Amir, New York Strikers not only emerge as formidable contenders but also demonstrate the team's dedication to ongoing improvement and triumph.Sagar Khanna expressing his enthusiasm about Yuvraj joining the team, shares, "We are thrilled to have Yuvraj Singh on board as our captain and icon player. His unparalleled talent and proven leadership will undoubtedly elevate the performance of the team." 

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: HBL Pakistan Super League has a rich history of providing platform to the finest young talent the country has to offer. HBL PSL 9 is set to feature an exciting new batch of talented players. From lethal fast bowlers and dexterous spinners to skillful batters, all players will look to prove themselves at the big stage. Mohammad Zeeshan (Peshawar Zalmi):Mohammad Zeeshan is a formidable pace prospect, having shown his promise in the Pakistan U19 team. Aided by his towering height of 6 feet 8 inches, the right-arm fast bowler extracts extra bounce, spelling trouble for the opposition.Zeeshan reflected on his addition to Peshawar Zalmi, saying: “Being picked for Peshawar Zalmi was a big moment for me as HBL PSL is amongst the best leagues in the world. I will be sharing the dressing room with and playing alongside Babar Azam, the best batter in the world, which I am really excited about.“T20 cricket allows limited room for the bowlers as the batters are always looking to charge. I think that’s where variations come into play; you need command over your slower balls, bouncers and yorkers to succeed.”Saad Baig (Karachi Kings):Born and bred in Karachi, Pakistan U19 captain Saad Baig will be representing his home city in the ninth edition of HBL PSL. The wicketkeeper-batter led Pakistan U19 to semi-finals of ICC U19 World Cup 2024. The previous year, he led Pakistan U19 to the semi-finals of ACC U19 Asia Cup.Saad, while talking about getting picked by Karachi Kings, said: “For any youngster, getting to play this league is a dream come true. I consider getting picked by Karachi Kings an achievement for myself so it was a big moment for me.“I will be part of a very experienced dressing room and I will try to improve my game as much as I can. I will ask seniors like Shoaib Malik and Keiron Pollard about their work ethic. They have played a lot of T20 cricket across the world so learning from them would be good for my future as well.”Ubaid Shah (Islamabad United):Right-arm pacer Ubaid Shah will be joining his brothers, Test cricketer Naseem Shah and first-class player Hunain Shah, at Islamabad United to strengthen the franchise’s pace battery. Since his debut for Pakistan U19, the pacer has become an indispensable asset to the side.“When I got to know that Islamabad United had picked me, I could not believe it. It is very important to me that Islamabad United put their trust in me, and I hope to reciprocate their trust by performing to the best of my ability.“It is very exciting that I am in the same team as both my brothers. And it is an honour to play under Shadab [Khan] Bhai’s captaincy. I look forward to learning from him. HBL PSL is big tournament with some very experienced names.”Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad United):Shamyl Hussain, set to represent Islamabad United at HBL PSL 9, is a top-order batter known for impressive strokeplay. The young left-handed batter, an avid fan of Brian Lara, says he has modelled his technique and shots after the West Indies batting legend.Reflecting on his addition to the team, Shamyl said: “I had been following the draft and when I did not get picked in the emerging category, I felt my heart drop so I turned my phone off for a while. When I turned it back on, I saw my coach’s message congratulating me. I could not believe I had been selected. To see my hard work pay off was the best feeling.“My style of play aligns with that of Islamabad United; I like to play attacking cricket and put pressure on the bowlers. I will be surrounded by senior players so my goal is to gain as much experience as I can during the tournament.”Syed Faridoun (Lahore Qalandars):Syed Faridoun is a left-arm wrist spinner who will be representing Lahore Qalandars in HBL PSL 9. As part of their Player Development Program, the franchise had sent Faridoun to represent Melbourne Stars at the Big Bash League in 2021.Although Faridoun was a part of the Qalandars squad back in 2022, he did not get to feature in a game. The young spinner, who is hoping to play his debut game in the upcoming season, said: “I want to fulfill the expectations the team and management have from me, whenever I am given a chance. Top players from around the world come to play in this league and I aspire to compete against them.“Your economy rate matters a lot in T20 cricket, so I always aim to restrict the flow of runs. I have gotten to share the dressing room with Rashid Khan in the past two years so I have learnt a lot from him.”Faisal Akram (Multan Sultans):Faisal Akram, another left-arm wrist spinner, is set to represent Multan Sultans in the ninth edition of the HBL PSL. Faisal was earlier picked by Karachi Kings in 2022, but warmed the bench in the previous two seasons. This year – on the back of a successful domestic season – Faisal is hoping to make his HBL PSL debut.“Multan is my home so it feels great that I have been picked to represent the city. If I get the chance to play, I will give my 100 per cent on the field. I am looking to end the season as the best emerging player of the season.“Multan Sultans have a great team this year. I am especially looking forward to learning from our captain Mohammad Rizwan, and foreign players like Reeza Hendricks and Dawid Malan.”Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (Quetta Gladiators):Khawaja Mohammad Nafay is a right-handed batter who was picked by Quetta Gladiators for the upcoming season of HBL PSL. Nafay already has experience of participating in franchise-based leagues.“My coach was with me when I got the news that I had been picked by Quetta. It made the moment really special because he has worked hard with me. It is a big deal for me, because performing in this league paves way for your selection to the national side.“I am really excited to share space with Jason Roy, Mohammad Amir and Sarfaraz Ahmed. I will have much to learn from these seasoned campaigners.”

Sports Bulletin ReportSharjah (UAE): Skipper Tom-Kohler Cadmore, through an aggressive 68 off 34 balls studded with eight sixes and two boundaries, guided his team to a hard fought seven-run win over Desert Vipers in the 13th match of the ILT20 season 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. His 101 runs partnership in 53 balls for the third wicket with Martin Guptill, who scored 39 off 32 balls with four fours and one six, gave his team a challenging total of 174 for 7 in 20 overs. The crowd of nearly 13,000 were in for a great treat when Vipers tried to chase the target through Alex Hales’s 61 off 40 balls with five sixes and three boundaries and Azam Khan’s fighting 35 off 22 balls. Together, the pair put 52 runs in 33 balls for the fifth wicket but failed to carry their team to victory. Earlier, Wanindu Hasaranga had put the brakes on Sharjah Warriors’ run flow with three wickets in the 16th over for figures of 3 for 30. Luke Wood too chipped in with three wickets for 33 runs, but all their efforts went in vain. So close was the fight that when Vipers needed 22 runs to win off the last 12 balls, Daniel Sams gave away only six runs in the penultimate over. Needing 16 runs off the last over, Muhammad Jawadullah held his nerves and bowled accurately giving away just eight runs to ensure Warriors’ victory.Brief scores: Sharjah Warriors beat Desert Vipers by 7 runs.  Sharjah Warriors 174 for 7 in 20 overs (Martin Guptill 39, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 68, Joe Denly 22, Luke Wood 3 for 33, Wanindu Hasaranga 3 for 30) Desert Vipers 167 for 7 in 20 overs (Alex Hales 61, Azam Khan 35, Chris Woakes 2 for 26, Daniel Sams 2 for 29)Player of the Match: Tom Kohler-Cadmore. 

Billings and Raza lead Dubai Capitals to a spectacular run-chase win over ADKRSports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Dubai Capitals’ Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza produced a clinical run chase to register a five-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ABKR) in the eighth match of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Dubai International Stadium. Chasing Knight Riders’ impressive total of 183 for 4 in 20 overs, Billings cracked an elegant 67 off 35 balls with nine boundaries and one six, well-backed by Sikandar Raza who scored 43 off 29 balls with five boundaries, to win the match with 23 balls to spare. The pair put on a 109 runs partnership off 59 balls for the fourth wicket.None expected Dubai Capitals to record such a comfortable win after Knight Riders’ impressive batting show lead by Sam Hain and Laurie Evans. They had put on a 131-run partnership in 78 balls for the fourth wicket. Hain scored 77 runs off 49 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes. Evans hit an unbeaten 67 off 41 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. Dubai Capitals were faced with the challenge of having to score at a run rate of 9.15. They also lost their skipper and star batsman David Warner to the second ball of the first over for a duck, trapped leg before by David Willey. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz too would have gone for a duck had Andre Russell not dropped an easy catch at long-on off Imad Wasim. Jake Fraser-McGurk then hit Wasim for two successive sixes and Willey for consecutive sixes. But Russell ended his innings forcing him to top edge a pull shot for a return catch for 41. Sunil Narine removed Gurbaz edging to wicketkeeper Gous for 21.Sam Billings and Raza took the score past the 100-run mark in 8.2 overs. By the half way mark, the pair made the target gettable with 64 runs needed to win. Billings reached his half century in 27 balls. He fell at the score of 67 caught by Evans at long-on off Narine. Raza followed seven runs short of his half century, caught and bowled to a leading edge when Capitals needed only four runs to win. Earlier, Capitals, who had lost their last match to Sharjah Warriors, won the toss and elected to bowl. Knight Riders, who were bowled out for just 95 runs in their previous match by MI Emirates, began on a shaky note through a double strike from Dushmantha Chameera. Andries Gous got clean bowled to Dushmantha Chameera for 4 while one-drop Michael Pepper edged to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 4. Hain went for his shots but opener Alishan Sharafu hit Roelof van der Merwe straight to Sam Billings at mid-wicket for 15 in the seventh over. Laurie Evans and Hain took the score to 75 for 3 by the half way mark. Jason Holder got smashed for 18 runs in in the 13th over with Evans hitting two boundaries and a six off successive balls. Evans reached his half century in 28 balls. Hain too reached his half century in 37 balls. They recorded their 100 runs partnership in 66 balls. Holder ended Hain’s knock with the second ball of the last over forcing him to hit straight to Sikandar Raza at extra over. Brief scores: Dubai Capitals bt Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 5 wkts. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 183 for 4 in 20 overs (Sam Hain 77, Laurie Evans 67, Dushmantha Chameera 2 for 35) Dubai Capitals 185 for 5 in 16.1 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 21, Jake Fraser-McGurk 41, Sam Billings 67, Sikandar Raza 43, David Willey 2 for 44, Sunil Narine 2 for 23).

Sports Bulletin ReportAbu Dhabi (UAE);  Through an enthralling display of bowling prowess, MI Emirates skittled out Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for 95 runs in 14.1 overs to record a resounding nine-wicket win in the sixth match of the DP World ILT20 Season 2 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Trent Boult (3 for 14) wiped away the cream of the Knight Riders’ batting backed by Akeal Hosein with two wickets for 21 runs. Knight Riders’ experienced allrounder Andre Russell stood amidst the ruins to hit a fighting 48 runs off 25 balls with four sixes and three boundaries. Muhammad Rohid Khan hastened the end of Knight Riders’ innings taking three wickets for 25 runs. MI Emirates began their chase with Mohammad Waseem and Kusal Perera striking comfortably. Waseem started by hitting Josh Little for two boundaries and a six off consecutive deliveries in the first over while Perera did the same against David Willey in the second over off successive deliveries. Together they put on 42 runs in 4.2 overs before Perera got out to Matiullah Khan caught by Sunil Narine at mid-on for 22.Skipper Nicholas Pooran, who joined Waseem, carried his team quickly to the target with an unbeaten 39 off 16 balls with five sixes and one boundary. Waseem remained unbeaten on 26 off 20 balls with two boundaries and a six. The MI Emirates won the match with 71 balls to spare. This big win lifted them to the top of the table too. The tale of Knight Riders’ disastrous batting began after Emirates won the toss and elected to bowl. Knight Riders lost half the side for 22 runs in 6.1 overs. UAE’s 21-year-old opener Alishan Sharafu had started off by scoring boundaries off Hosein and Boult, but fell in the third over hitting Hosein to Tim David at mid-off for 10. His opening partner Andries Gous, who had hit a match winning unbeaten 95 against Desert Vipers in his previous match, was joined by Michael Pepper. Boult removed Pepper (5) and Sam Hain (0), both of whom edged to wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran. He also went on to get Gous, caught by Dwayne Bravo at mid-on for 3. Hosein uprooted Laurie Evans off stump for 1. Imad Wasim and Andre Russell pushed the score to 47 before Wasim became the sixth wicket to fall, caught by Bravo at slip off Fazalhaq Farooqi for 7. In the 10th over, Ravi Bopara played Muhammad Rohid on to his wicket for a duck. Rohid also had David Willley caught by David at mid-on for a duck. At the half way mark, Abu Dhabi was tottering at 53 for 8. Skipper Narine, who joined Andre Russell, lasted just five balls to score one run before hitting high to Boult at mid-off. Russell though kept the scoreboard moving through some big hits. He smashed Rohid for two sixes in the 14th over and put on 36 runs in 16 balls with last man Josh Little.