Abu Dhabi T10: Bulls crush Tigers in low-scoring affair

Adil Rashid (2/6) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/8) were the pick of the Bulls bowlers as the Tigers were restricted to 69/6

Bowlers dominated as Delhi Bulls crushed Bangla Tigers by six wickets in Abu Dhabi T10 match at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Adil Rashid (2/6) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/8) were the pick of the Bulls bowlers as the Tigers were restricted to 69/6.

Save for an unbeaten 41-run partnership between James Faulkner (13-ball 19) and Isuru Udana (14-ball 21) the top six Tigers fell for less than 10 runs.

In reply, the Bulls made heavy weather of the light chase. Faulkner (2/9) rattled top-scorer Sherfane Rutherford (14-ball 27) but the Bulls, anchored by Eoin Morgan (16-ball 26), reached the target with 11 balls to spare.

Rashid, the player of the match, said it was a good day for the bowlers.

“Someday you come and bowlers get smashed and batsmen get 150, and someday, like today, they are 70 all out. Give and take, that’s T10 cricket,” Rashid said.

Earlier, the Bulls chose to bowl first and the bowlers came out with all guns blazing. Afghan pacer Farooqi got Andre Fletcher (2) with a slower one and castled Faf du Plessis (5) with a fiery delivery. Leg spinner Rashid had Hazratullah Zazai (0) caught. The Tigers lost their top three batters with just nine on the board.

Dominic Drakes dismissed Will Jacks (6). Rashid returned to snare Johnson Charles (5) as the Tigers crawled to 26/5 after five overs. Romario Shepherd entertained the crowd with his 24-yard deliveries and bowled Benny Howell (3) with one such ball.

“We bowled exceptionally well. The seamers set the tone for myself and the rest of the bowlers to come in and do the job. And when you get a team down 3-4, it is pretty hard to rebuild,” Rashid said.

After the top-order failed, Faulkner and Udana got together. Faulkner blasted Farooqi and Shepherd for a couple of fours, and Udana smoked Drakes for two sixes. The duo steered the Tigers to 69 by the end of 10 overs.

The Bulls, however, didn’t make the best of the start. Star batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) hit Luke Wood straight to the fielder. Rilee Rossouw (2), dropped once, was caught in the very next ball off Faulkner. The Bulls were 9/2 and would have lost Rutherford but Howell failed to latch onto a sharp chance for a catch.

After bowlers dominated the first two overs, the Bulls turned the table as Rutherford whacked Udana for two sixes and a four. But the Tigers hit back as Mohammad Hafeez (7) was caught off a low full toss from spinner Tom Hartley, who would have got another wicket but Rutherford, on 22, was dropped. Faulkner finally got Rutherford. There was no late drama as senior Bulls Morgan and Dwayne Bravo (5) kept their calm to hit the winning runs.

“Yes, it is a very good start to a very difficult tournament. I am happy with the team effort,” Bravo said.

With two wins, the Bulls now sit second (1.74) behind Team Abu Dhabi (3.05).

Brief Scores:

Delhi Bulls 71/4 (Sherfane Rutherford 27, Eoin Morgan 26*, James Faulkner 2-9) beat Bangla Tigers 69/6 (Isuru Udana 21*, James Faulkner 19*, Adil Rashid 2-6) by 6 wickets.