New Delhi: The ILT20 Gulf Cricket Championship continued to excite the crowd at the ICC Academy in Dubai with brilliant performances from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia making it an enjoyable Sunday for both camps.
The results further determine the tournament standings as both teams secured crucial wins.
In the first match of the day, the UAE displayed a balanced performance of batting and bowling as they defeated Oman by 24 runs.
team leader Muhammad Waseem Leading the way with 48 off 31 balls, he steadied the innings with a solid 40 off 38 balls from opening partner Tanish Suri.
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Their efforts helped UAE post a competitive 157/7. Oman’s Samay Shrivastava’s impressive figures of 3/29 included important wickets of Waseem and Alishan Sharafu.
Oman’s chase started promisingly with steady contributions from captain Jatinder Singh (26 off 24) and Aamir Kalim (23 off 23).
However, the UAE bowlers struck in time with Junaid Siddique (2/24) and Mohammad Javadullah (2/25) providing a disciplined spell.
Oman struggled in the midfield and conceded goals frequently, eventually falling behind by 24 points at 133/8. Muhammad Waseem’s all-round impact earned him Best player of the match award.
Saudi Arabia cruise passes Qatar
The second match of the day saw Saudi Arabia beat Qatar by nine wickets, Usman Khalid.
Saudi Arabia’s bowlers opted to open the batting, led by Ishtiaq Ahmad’s brilliant 4/12, to break Qada’s top order. Despite the struggles of Muhammad Asim (60 off 47), Qatar managed just 123/9 in 20 overs.
Saudi Arabia’s chase was clinical with Usman Khalid’s unbeaten 75 off 48 balls. His knock contained seven fours and four sixes, nullifying Qatar’s total.
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Khalid found a capable partner in Abdul Wahid, who contributed 35 unbeaten runs (38). Together they led the team to victory in just 16 games, cementing Saudi Arabia’s position at the top of the table.
Following two games on Sunday, Emirates. Remaining undefeated, top of the table with two wins from two games and an impressive 1.289 net run rate.
Saudi Arabia’s victory moves them up to fourth place, in close competition with Kuwait and Oman. With two consecutive losses, Qatar are bottom of the table and need a dramatic turnaround to stay in contention.
