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WHAD Gymkhana win title

ABU DHABI — William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana laid their hands on the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council’s (ADCC) Twenty20 Summer League title with a comprehensive win over United Bank Limited at the Shaikh Zayed Stadium over the weekend.

William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana notched a nine-wicket victory in the final. The match was significant in more ways than one as it was the first time that the pink cricket ball was used in domestic cricket.

Shahnawaz Hakim, the tournament secretary came up with the idea of testing the pink ball in domestic cricket and was pleased with the experiment. “It worked well. We might plan to use it next season as well,” Shahnawaz said.

Put into bat, United Bank Limited made 108 for the loss of eight wickets in their 20 overs. Amjad Ali made 27, while Zaheer Baig scored 22.

Asim Khurshid took two for 11, while Tahir Butt and Mohd. Nadeem too picked up two wickets each. In reply, William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana cruised to the target, thanks to their openers. Saqib Shah scored an unbeaten 55 from 40 balls with four boundaries and three sixes, while the other opener Asim Khurshid made 49 from 26 balls with five boundaries and three sixes. Asim Khurshid, who snapped up two wickets and scored an unbeaten 55, was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Yogi Group to meet NMC

Meanwhile, Yogi Group scored a stunning six-wicket win over the fancied Arab Udupi to earn a showdown with New Medical Centre in the ADCC division one final.

Mohammed Ajmal and Avadoot Amonkar, the opening bowlers, wrecked the top order batting of Arab Udupi to reduce them to 15 for four from which they never recovered. The spinner Fayyaz Ahmed, the UAE international, then ran through the middle to return with figures of 9-1-19-3.

Ajmal produced the early break by claiming the wicket of AP Shibith (0) from his second delivery and removed the two-drop Jayaprakash Shetty (1) in his next over. Amonkar too had struck in his first over by dismissing Prashanth Braggs (0) and later had the UAE international Naeemuddin Aslam (4).

Arshad Ali (19), the veteran UAE opener and Vikranth Shetty (27) took the score to 51 before Faris Salman ended the resistance by having the former caught by Fayyaz.

Yogi in reply knocked off the winning runs in under 20 overs for an early finish to the second semifinal at the Zayed Stadium. CTK Mashood bagged three of the four wickets to fall from eight overs, but his effort was too little and too late for Arab Udupi.

Brief scores: ADCC T20 Summer League: United Bank Limited: 108 for 8 in 20 overs (Amjad Ali 27, Zaheer Baig 22, Asim Khurshid 2-11, Tahir Butt 2-31, Mohd. Nadeem 2-18) lost to William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana: 109 for 1 in 11.4 overs (Saqib Shah 55 n.o, Asim Khurshid 49) by 9 wickets. Man of the Match: Asim Khurshid

ADCC Division One:

Yogi Group bt Arab Udupi by 6 wickets. Arab Udupi 78 all out in 29.1 overs (Vikranth Shetty 27, Mohammed Ajmal 2-17, Avadoot Amonkar 2-18, Fayyaz Ahmed 3-19, Ali Abbas 2-5). Yogi 81 for 4 in 19.5 overs (Salman Faris 23, CTK Mashood 3-24).