Abu Dhabi T10: Delhi Bulls end Qalandars' unbeaten run

Dubai - The Delhi Bulls, who topped the Super League table, now take on 2018 champions Northern Warriors in the Qualifier on Friday

Delhi Bulls captain Dwayne Bravo reckoned that their intensity and their eagerness to challenge themselves and raise the benchmark were the qualities that helped them inflict a first defeat on the Qalandars in the Abu Dhabi T10 League on Thursday night.

Opener Evin Lewis coshed an unbeaten 18-ball 48 with five sixes and three boundaries and Ravi Bopara’s unbeaten 37 from 15 balls with five boundaries and two sixes as the Delhi Bulls dusted off the 108-run target with nine wickets in hand and with 16 balls to spare in their final Super League fixture at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

That brought to an end to Qalandars’ five-match unbeaten streak.

“It was a good team effort once again. We keep challenging ourselves as a group, to be professional, to come out there and play with high intensity, play positive cricket. And I’m very happy with the guys. To beat a team like the Qalandars is a great team effort,” said Bravo.

The Delhi Bulls haven’t batted first all tournament but the West Indian said that it didn’t bother them as they have all bases covered, going into the play-offs.

“No concern. I think with the quality of players that I have in my team, even if we bat first in good conditions here in Abu Dhabi, we can post a very good total. So, it doesn’t matter if we bat first or bowl first. The fact that we are playing good cricket, the guys are in good form, that’s most important,” he said.

The Delhi Bulls, who topped the Super League table, now take on 2018 champions the Northern Warriors, who finished second, in the Qualifier on Friday. Incidentally, the Bulls’ only defeat had come against them in the group phase.

The Qalandars managed to scratch their way to 107 for the loss of six wickets after being put into bat by Bravo.

Sohail Akhtar’s side looked like they might finish up with a total well below 100 after they lost wickets at regular intervals. But the England duo of Samit Patel and Chris Jordan came up with handy knocks to push it past that mark.

Delhi Bulls pacer Ali Khan, who took sensational figures of three for no run in five balls against the Pune Devils, the other night, missed the game due to an injury. The American had injured his hand during the match against the Pune Devils. West Indian pacer, the 20-year-old Nyeem Young, replaced Khan in the line-up.

Opener Sharjeel Khan departed early, after making a run-a-ball seven and Akhtar followed suit, caught wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz off Bravo. Akhtar scored 14 from eight balls with two boundaries.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Dunk lasted just three balls before he was castled by UAE medium pacer Shiraz Ahmed for one.

Opener Tom Banton hit three boundaries in his 26 off 20 deliveries before he was run out by Young as the Qalandars lost four wickets for 66 in seven overs.

Jordan then made a nine-ball 18 with one boundary after which Patel clubbed two fours and a six to come up with an unbeaten five-ball 18.

The Delhi Bulls were given a good start to the chase by the openers Evin Lewis and Gurbaz even though veteran Pakistani left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir had the latter in all sorts of trouble in the opening over.

Lewis smacked Ahmed Danyal for two sixes and a boundary off successive balls but the Gurbaz, who had struggled a bit at the other end, fell leg before in the same over, after making a sedate 17 from 12 balls with the help of two sixes and a boundary.

But Lewis and Ravi Bopara ensured they didn’t lose any more wickets and took them over the line.

Brief scores:

Qalandars: 107-6 in 10 overs (Tom Banton 26, Samit Patel 18 not out, Chris Jordan 18, Sohail Akhtar 14, Fidel Edwards 2-25) lost to Delhi Bulls: 111-1 in 7.2 overs (Evin Lewis 48 not out, Ravi Bopara 37 not out, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 17) by 9 wickets.

james@khaleejtimes.com