Big-hitting Pollard and Azam lift Strikers past Bulls in thriller
New York Strikers’ skipper Kieron Pollard and Azam Khan, displaying the skills that make them two of the finest hiters in limited overs cricket, pulled off an exciting seven-wicket win over Delhi Bulls with two balls to spare in the 23rd match on the ninth day of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Though New York Strikers needed 46 runs from the last 18 balls while chasing Delhi Bulls’ total of 112 for 6, Pollard scored an unbeaten 26 off 7 deliveries with three boundaries and two sixes and Azam Khan remained unbeaten on 37 off 22 balls with four boundaries and a six to win the last over thriller in front of a large holiday crowd.
Eoin Morgan had set the tempo for New York Strikers’ win by scoring 32 off 21 balls with three sixes.
Delhi Bulls had won the toss and elected to bat. New York Strikers’ opening bowler Akeal Hosein picked an early wicket by having Rilee Rossouw caught by Eoin Morgan at extra cover off the third ball of the match for a duck.
Tom Banton hit the very first ball he faced, reverse sweeping with confidence for a six. Stuart Binny struck with the first ball of the second over by geting Rahmanullah Gurbaz to miscue his shot and get caught by Paul Stirling.
Banton got his second six in the third over off Hosein’s last delivery when Pollard dropped the ball over the long-off boundary line.
Binny, who bowled the fourth over, was hit for two consecutive sixes off the third and fourth deliveries. Off the fith delivery David took a boundary to backward point but with the sixth delivery Binny struck. He forced David edge to Kesrick Williams for 23.
Star bowler Rashid Khan, who had joined the New York Strikers team for his first match, gave only singles off the first five deliveries but Najbullah Zadran hit the last ball through the extra cover for a boundary.
The sixth over was an evenful one from Jordan Thompson. Zadran hit the third delivery for a boundary but fell to the fourth ball caught by Pollard at long-on for 12. Off the last ball, Banton picked a boundary to square leg.
With the score reading 65 for 4 and only three more overs to go, skipper Pollard introduced himself. Banton edged his second delivery for a boundary and pulled the fourth ball to the square leg for another boundary.
Banton continued to hit freely and swung Thompson’s first delivery of the eighth over for a six. He smashed the second delivery through extra cover for another boundary. Banton’s fine knock of 46 ended when Thompson had him leg before while atempting a reverse sweep.