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.

james@khaleejtimes.com