Wahab Riaz and Muhammad Waseem help New York Strikers strike down Team Abu Dhabi to clinch top slot

Wahab Riaz’s fine three wicket spell and opener Muhammad Waseem’s unbeaten 45 helped New York Strikers strike down Team Abu Dhabi in the 28th match on the tenth day of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.  Team Abu Dhabi got restricted to a paltry 78 for 8 through Wahab Riaz’s three wicket spell for just four runs well backed by Rashid Khan and Tom Hartley with two wickets each. 

New York Strikers then raced to the target through Mohammad Waseem’s unbeaten 45 off 20 balls with five sixes and two boundaries. This win helped New York Strikers clinch the top spot in the points table replacing Samp Army who occupied the top position before the start of this match.

New York Strikers after winning the toss elected to bowl. Team Abu Dhabi openers Chris Lynn and Alex Hales began on a slow note with New York Strikers’ opening bowler Akeal Hosein giving away only four runs. In the second over, Tom Hartley too bowled a tight over and even removed captain Lynn caught by his counterpart Pollard at mid-off for 6.  

Hales hit Hosein’s first delivery for a six to deep mid-wicket. James Vince too hit Hosein to mid-wicket for another six. Vince also hit Hartley’s third delivery for a six over long-on . Harlety stuck with the last ball of the fourth over having Hales stumped by wicketkeeper Azam Khan for 17. Seeing Hales coming down the wicket, Hartley bowled a quicker one for Khan to do the rest.

The experienced Wahab Riaz had Vince caught by Muhammad Waseem at long-on for 14 with the first ball of the fifth over. Riaz also got Brandon King out, caught by Morgan at extra cover for a duck. Rashid Khan was introduced for the sixth over and Alishan Sharafu hit his second delivery for a six over long-off. With the last ball of his over, Rashid clean bowled Adil Rashid for 1.

With half the Abu Dhabi side back in the dug-out for 48 runs by the end of the sixth over, New York Strikers went for the kill. Jordan Thompson had Alishan caught behind by wicketkeeper Azam Khan for 9. David Payne hit Thompson for a six off the third ball of the seventh over. Andrew Tye hit the last delivery from Thompson for a boundary.

Rashid Khan picked his second wicket by clean bowling Tye with the fourth ball of the eighth over.  In the ninth over, Payne too got caught behind by wicketkeeper Azam Khan for 10.

The last over began with Team Abu Dhabi on 68 for 8. Without any boundaries, Thompson gave away only 10 runs to restrict Team Abu Dhabi to a paltry 78 for 8 in 10 overs.

Chasing the moderate total, New York Strikers lost their opener Paul Stirling to the second ball of the first over clean bowled by Naveen Ul Haq. Stirling had come out to to hit Naveen though the on-side but missed the delivery totally. The consistent Eoin Morgan began by cutting Naveen past point for a boundary.

In the second over, UAE opener Muhammad Waseem hit Peter Hatzoglou for a boundary past third man and followed it up with a six to long-on. In the third over from Naveen Ul Haq, Waseem picked another boundary to mid-off. Tye bowled a tight fourth over giving away just five runs.

Adil Rashid who bowled the fifth over, struck as usual. He got the prize wicket of Morgan caught by King at mid-wicket. At the half way stage, New York Strikers needed 41 off the last 30 balls.  Waseem hit David Payne’s third delivery from the sixth over for his second six over extra cover and another one over deep square leg. He went on to fire yet another big one off the last ball over backward square leg. Twenty runs came off that over.

Azam Khan got out to Hatzoglou to the fifth ball of the seventh over hitting high to long off for 3. Pollard joined Waseem when 17 runs were needed off 18 balls. Waseem hit a no ball from Tye for a six. Pollard too lifted Tye over long on for a six to win the match with 15 balls to spare.

Brief scores:

New York Strikers bt Team Abu Dhabi by 7 wkts. Team Abu Dhabi 78 for 8 in 10 overs (Tom Hartley 2 for 19, Wahab Riaz 3 for 4, Rashid Khan 2 for 12) New York Strikers 79 for 3 in 7.3 overs (Muhammad Waseem 45n.o)
Player of the Match: Wahab Riaz