Faraazuddin stars for Karwan Blues

Sharjah - The 20-year-old off-spinner snaps up six wickets

It was a brilliant exhibition of accurate off-spin from UAE’s rising star and off-spinner Mohammed Faraazuddin in the 16th match of the CBFS powered by Fancode T20 tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. Faraazuddin produced a spell of 3.4 overs, no maiden, 21 runs and six wickets to bowl Karwan Blues to a 38-run win over MGM Cricket Club.

Earlier, Karwan Blues posted 156 for 6. MGM Cricket Club, chasing the target, got bowled out for 118 in 18.4 overs due to Faraazuddin’s fine bowling.

All-rounder Faraazuddin, representing the UAE Under-19 in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2020 in South Africa had cracked a valuable unbeaten 31 in UAE’s one-wicket win over New Zealand at Johannesburg. In the CBFS match it was his bowling that stood out.

Speaking about his spell, Faraazuddin said: “It was my first six-wicket spell though I had bagged five wickets before in domestic matches. I got these wickets mainly because I maintained a good line and length. I wanted to perform well as I am already a contracted player and among the 25 for the UAE team training under coach Robin Singh. I played two years for UAE Under-19 team and also played alongside Chris Gayle for Team Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi T10. It is my dream to play for the UAE senior team and I am working hard to win a place in the team in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.”

Karwan Blues won the toss and elected to bat. MGM Cricket Club’s right-arm medium pacer Danish Qureshi, who has always struck early, did it again by having opener Waqas Ali caught by Mayank Choudhary for 6. In-form Lovepreet Singh and opener Fahad Nawaz put on a 108-runs partnership for the second wicket. Nawab Khan ended this partnership in the 14th over by having Lovepreet caught by Niaz Khan for 30. His knock off 32 balls had four boundaries. Seventeen runs later, next man Taimoor Ali got bowled by Niaz Khan for 6.

Fahad Nawaz kept the run flowing with Mohammad Ikram and took the score to 146 when Nawaz became Nawab Khan’s second victim after getting caught by Mayank Choudhary for 71. His knock off 61 balls had eight boundaries. Though Mohammad Ismail and Omair Ali got run out, Ikram, through his unbeaten 17, took his team to a total of 156 for 6 in 20 overs.

Chasing the challenging total MGM lost their opener Hafiz Kaleem bowled by Omid Rahman for a duck. Opener Asnar Khan hit 11 runs with two boundaries but got caught behind by wicketkeeper Ashwanth Valthappa. Two down for 16 by the fourth over, Mayank Choudhary and Waqas Ali took the score to 66 when Karthik Meiyappan clean bowled Waqas for 31. When Meiyappan ran out wicketkeeper Rahul Chopra for a duck, Karwan Blues began to take a firm grip. Thereafter, it was Mohammed Faraazuddin all the way destroying MGM’s batting with his accurate off spin.

Faraazuddin first removed Mayank Choudhary stumped by wicketkeeper Ashwanth Valthappa for 24. He then trapped Niaz Khan leg before for 17 and Harshit Kaushik caught and bowled for 12. He also had Danish Quereshi caught behind for a duck. In the 19th over, Faraazuddin struck twice to dismiss Adeel Malik caught by Karthik Meiyappan for 15 and last man Nawab Khan got caught by Taimoor Ali for a duck.

MGM’s innings thus ended for 118.

Karwan Blues team manager Zubair Sheikh revealed how they spotted the talented Faraazuddin: “We spotted him through our talent hunt tournament for Under 23 players called the Karwan Rising Stars tournament which was staged by Babar Iqbal bhai, who is the owner of Karwan Strikers. Many young cricketers playing for the UAE have played in this event. Faraazuddin’s show was a marvellous spell of spin bowling and it was a treat to watch this young and upcoming boy bowl against a very experienced side in a crucial game. He is the future of the UAE, and CBFS along with Sharjah Council has provided him with a good opportunity to display his talent to the entire world. This will surely boost his confidence.”

Brief scores:

Karwan Blues beat MGM Cricket Club by 38 runs.

Karwan Blues 156 for 6 in 20 overs (Fahad Nawaz 71, Lovepreet Singh 30, Nawab Khan 2 for 32) MGM Cricket Club 118 in 18.4 overs (Mayank Choudhary 24, Waqas Ali 31, Omid Rahman 2 for 18, Mohammed Faraazuddin 6 for 21)

Man of the Match: Mohammed Faraazuddin.