Abu Dhabi, UAE – 19 November 2019: The Deccan Gladiators have won the first match of the second stage of the Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10, with a blitzing batting performance from Mohammad Shahzad proving impossible for Team Qalandars to overcome. In spite of the efforts of Skipper Dawid Malan and Phil Salt with the bat, the Deccan Gladiators successfully defended 128 in the first match of the day.

Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad struck early and hard for the Deccan Gladiators after Team Qalandars placed them into bat. He and Captain Shane Watson started an innings focused on posting a score big enough to defend and the partnership delivered with Shazad hitting a six off the very first ball. Watson was disappointed with his dismissal for 30, but the Gladiators had already made their half century in four overs by that moment.

Gladiators’ fans welcomed the sight of Kieron Pollard strolling to the crease, hoping for the magic of the previous night, yet his departure for two, only two deliveries later, left a ripple of concern amongst the crowd. However, Shahzad kept the ship steady, ripping balls to and over the deep midwicket boundary time and time again. Shahzad stormed to his half century off just18 balls, but lost his wicket at the opening of the seventh over caught at long on by Phil Salt ending his innings on 57 off 21 balls comprising 6 sixes and 3 fours. Shahzad’s momentum was picked up by Aussie Ben Cutting and Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaska, who drove the Gladiators to post a target of 129 to beat.

Team Qalandars’ Luke Ronchi and Tom Banton revved themselves for a steep run chase, being placed under pressure from the Gladiators’ pace and power of Pollard and Stephen Cottrell. Banton was blown away by the power of Pollard’s bowling when he lofted a dolly to mid-off for nine, before Ronchi was caught behind by Mohammad Shahzad for 17.

Phil Salt and Dawid Malan attempted to chase and hit the Gladiators’ total, but the odds became increasingly perilous for the pair as they faced 92 runs off 32 deliveries halfway through the match. Nevertheless, they kept delivering big shots, confounding the Gladiators’ bowling line up with batting that defied the power and speed that was coming down the wicket. The two men kept up a good humour as they played, accepting their defeat gracefully following masterly batting from Shahzad. In spite of Malan’s final sixes in the last over, Team Qalandars closed on 104 for two, leaving the Deccan Gladiators to win by 24 runs.

Man of the Match, Mohammad Shahzad, commented following his performance: “T10 is a very fast format, and it is very ideal for batsmen like me to enjoy their cricket and play with freedom.”

Dawid Malan, Captain of Team Qalandars, said: “Unfortunately we are disappointed with the loss, but I stand by the decision to chase. That’s something that comes easier for us a team, but as the tournament progresses and the wicket gets quicker, we are seeing much higher totals that are becoming easier to defend.”

The action of the fifth night of the Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10 continues, with the Delhi Bulls and the Northern Warriors clashing at 17:45, before the Bangla Tigers clash with Team Abu Dhabi at 20:00.

About Abu Dhabi T10

Abu Dhabi T10 is a professional ten-over format cricket league launched by T10 Sports Management and licensed by the Emirates Cricket Board and approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of international cricket. It is the first ever internationally approved ten-over format league.

Matches have 10-over-a-side format and duration of 45 minutes a side, totalling 90 minutes of play. The tournament is played over ten days, with a round robin followed by semi-finals and the final. In August 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially sanctioned the league.

About Abu Dhabi Cricket

Abu Dhabi Cricket (ADC) is supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council and operates under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan.

ADC is ushering in an exciting new era of cricket in Abu Dhabi with significant investment in facilities and operational upgrades. In addition to the iconic Zayed Cricket Stadium the venue now boasts the following impressive facilities: 2 x floodlit nursery cricket ovals, international standard cricket nets facility, 4 x floodlit netball courts, 5-a-side “Soccer City”, 4 x multi-purpose floodlit AstroTurf pitches and 5 x FIFA approved grass, floodlit football pitches.

ADC was founded on 20th November 1996, with the impressive Zayed Cricket Stadium, considered among the world’s best, being completed in 2005. The Stadium’s inaugural international match was staged between India and Pakistan in April 2006 and was attended by 20,000 enthusiastic fans.

Zayed Cricket Stadium has hosted numerous domestic and international matches since that day. The electric atmosphere of the Pakistan vs. India match was rivalled when the Indian Premier League arrived in 2014.

2018 saw the stadium’s biggest season to date with over 75,000 fans flooding the stands throughout the 2018 ACC Asia Cup, Pakistan vs. Australia series, Pakistan vs. New Zealand series and of course the inaugural Abu Dhabi T20 – during which six of the world’s biggest T20 franchises descended upon the UAE capital to vie for championship honours.

Though cricket is at the core of operations, ADC also prides itself on the world-class facilities available, catering to sportsmen and women of all ages and abilities from elite international players to community sports enthusiasts.

In addition to the international cricket season that was, ADC has also welcomed and hosted the likes of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) England Lions for their 2018 tour of the UAE, New Zealand’s All Black 7s and Black Fern 7s rugby teams ahead of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby 7s (of which both teams emerged champions) and Japan, Oman, Syria, China, Yemen, Iran, Thailand, India and South Korea’s football training camps ahead of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

The facility has also been used by several other international associations as a winter training destination, most notably many professional English County teams who return year after year for their pre-season camps.

The recent investments to develop the facility have truly ensured that ADC is known for more than cricket. Indeed, Abu Dhabi Cricket has become the home for a range of coaching academies, clubs, groups and schools for football, touch rugby, netball, basketball, squash and much more.

About Abu Dhabi Sports Council

Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) was established in 2006 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

ADSC is aligned with the emirate’s leadership vision to develop sport and youth activities. The Council promotes an effective, emirate-wide sports calendar that stimulates the desire to participate in quality sports among all Abu Dhabi residents and helps the talented and motivated reach their sporting potential.

The Council also hosts and supports the staging of international world-class sporting events. These include: the annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA; the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix; the ITU World Triathlon Series; the Gary Player Invitational; the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour, the Red Bull Air Race; the Mubadala World Tennis Championship; the 2017 and 2018 FIFA Club World Cups UAE; the 2019 AFC Asian Cup UAE and the UCI WorldTour event, The UAE Tour.

We at ADSC firmly believe that sporting events deliver a host of benefits for the emirate and its residents. These span improved health and wellness, the building of community spirit, the discovering of local talent and the delivery of international exposure of the emirate as a world-class sporting events hub.

Whether it is land, sea or air, we have sport covered.

For press enquiries please contact:

Matt Wickens
Four Communications
adcc@fourcommunications.com
+971 52 893 2016