Multiplex power into Dulsco semis

Favourites Multiplex International roared into the semi-finals of the 13^th Dulsco Ramadan Cricket Tournament with a resouding seven-wicket victory against Cricket Maxway at the Zabeel Park Cricket Ground, Dubai, on Saturday night.

Opener Maqsood Syed’s scintillating 62 was the highlight of the Multiplex International’s chase as they overhauled the stiff target with five overs to spare after Cricket Maxway had accumulated 162 for 6 in 20 overs. The victory meant Multiplex International are the second team after Future King Heroes to book their passage into the semi-finals and they now await the winner of the quarter-finals between Oud Mehta and hosts Dulsco.

The tournament is organized by Dubai Cricket Council in association with Dulsco Sports Club. Total 16 teams locked horns in the tournament and after the completion of the league phase, the two other quarter-finals will feature Global Distribution locking horns against Aster DM Healthcare on Sunday night and Dulsco fighting it out with Oud Metha CC on Monday.

Cricket Maxway batted first after winning the toss and did not get the best of the starts. Clint Berkenshaw was scalped by Habib Ahmed to make it 14 for 1 in the second over. Joseph Onyango and Hafeez Akmal added 43 runs in the second wicket partnership to stabilise the innings before the former was dismissed by Imran Shah after making 25 (24 balls, 6x1) at the score of 67. Fourteen runs later, Akmal also fell to Imran after blasting a solid 39, which saw him hitting two fours and two sixes in his 28-ball stay.

Cricket Maxway had plenty of batsmen getting a start but none, except for Mohammed Nadeem, could go on to make a decisive contribution as they ended on 162 for 6 in 20 overs. Nadeem blasted an aggressive 51 off just 30 balls and hit three fours and two sixes to pep up the Cricket Maxway innings.

Multiplex International had no problem whatsoever in their run chase, disposing off Cricket Maxway’s competitive score for the loss of three wickets and in just 14.4 overs.

Openers Maqsood Syed and Kashif Butt dominated the Cricket Maxway bowlers, brutally hammering them with fours and huge sixes. So dominating was the duo, that they shared 14 sixes between them. And when the first wicket fell with Butt perishing to Berkenshaw after making 55 (30 balls, 4x4, 6x5), Multiplex International had put the match in the bag.

After Syed’s exit for a whirlwind 62 off just 29 balls and containing nine sixes, Mohammed Shehzad (16 not out) and Haroon Ahmed (6 not out) completed the formalities as Multiplex International wrapped up the match in 14.4 overs. Maqsood Sayed was adjudged Multiplex Man of the Match.