UBL are Bukhatir League champions

UBL defeated Danube Lions by 76 runs to win the title.

A late half century from Mohammad Naveed was the highlight of the final as UBL clinched the 42nd Bukhatir League Cricket Tournament 2016 title after defeating Danube Lions by a comfortable margin of 76 runs at the Sharjah International Stadium on Thursday.
The tournament, organised by the Sharjah Cricket Council, was attended by dignitaries as vice chairman Mr Waleed Bukhatir gave away the trophy to UBL.
After turning lucky with the coin, UBL's decision to bat first did not strike the right chord as two wickets fell in quick succession with just nine runs on board while another was lost with the addition of 27 runs.
At three for 36, UBL were in a precarious situation needing a good partnership to bail them out. Mohammad Boota and Bilal Azmat provided the answer as the duo stitched together a fine 81-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Both played with lot of caution finding those occasional boundaries and sixes. Boota scored an impressive 65 from 69 deliveries studded with four boundaries and three sixes while Azmat added 33 from 50 balls with the help of a four and two sixes.
Muhammad Shakir (11) and Saqlain Haider (17) made small contributions during their brief stay but it was Naveed's innings that turned the tables for UBL.
His quickfire 34-ball 65 supported by four hits to the fence and seven over it helped his team fight back from a difficult situation as UBL posted a challenging 223 before being all out in 46.5 overs.
While Ahmed Raza was the pick of the bowlers for Danube Lions claiming four wickets, Riaz Afridi and Shahzad Manna bagged two wickets each.
Danube Lions began their chase in the right earnest as openers Gulraiz Sadaf (32, 53b, 1x4, 2x6) and Asif Iqbal (26, 37, 4x4) wiped out a crucial 59 runs from the target during their opening partnership.
But thereafter wickets kept falling at regular intervals with none of the batsmen showing any intent.
Tarindu Mendis spent time facing 39 deliveries but he could not create much of an impact scoring just 15 runs.
It would have been all over for Danube Lions much earlier than expected but for a late fighting knock of 35 off just 26 deliveries from Sami Naizi who only could manage to delay the inevitable as the Lions folded up for just 147 in 37.4 overs.
For the winners, Mujahid Amini and Zaheer Maqsood were the star bowlers who picked up three wickets each while Umar Farooq bagged two.