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Deccan Gladiators retained the Abu Dhabi T10 crown with an emphatic 37-run win over newcomers New York Strikers in the Season 6 final at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
They reached the final the hard way after finishing fourth in the league round. They defeated Team Abu Dhabi and Morrisville Samp Army in the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, respectively.
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Nicholas Pooran and David Weise shared a 74-run stand in 30 balls to help the Gladiators recover to post a total of 128-4 after they had lost three wickets for 54 at the halfway mark.
Akeal Hosein sent back the openers Suresh Raina (7) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (11) to leave the Gladiators at 25-2 in the second over.
Pooran whacked five fours and a six in his 23-ball 40, and was out in the final delivery of the innings. Weise was the more adventurous. He blasted four sixes and a couple of fours in an 18-ball 43 not out.
The Strikers in reply were bamboozled by Josh Little and Mohammad Hasnain, who had them reeling at 13-3.
Little struck from his second delivery to have Muhammad Waseem’s furniture shattered from the first ball he faced. Hasnain had Eoin Morgan (0) caught by Weise at mid-off and Paul Stirling (6) held by Kohler-Cadmore at deep square leg.
Hasnain also bowled an excellent seventh over, giving away just three runs and turning the game in favour of the Gladiators as the Strikers were left needing 61 from 18 balls.
The Strikers also suffered a big blow when their captain Kieron Pollard had to retire after a 15-ball 23 with what appeared to be muscle spasm in his hand.
Wiese was the star for Gladiators with his quick-fire knock building a score for the bowlers to defend. The Strikers never recovered from early blows and could muster only 91-5.
“Winning a final is always special and it was a very good performance for the team across this format,” Pooran said after his team won the T10 title for the second time.
“It was a final and the pressure was up there but you obviously go into bat with the intent of scoring fast,” the left-handed batter said of his key knock.
Samp Army won the consolation third prize after bundling out Team Abu Dhabi for 48 in 8.4 overs after they posted 127-2.