Northern Warriors regain Abu Dhabi T10 title after eight-wicket win over Delhi Bulls

Warriors complete run chase with 10 balls to spare at Zayed Cricket stadium

Northern Warriors players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Abu Dhabi T10. Courtesy Abu Dhabi T10

Northern Warriors regained the Abu Dhabi T10 title with a clinical demolition of Delhi Bulls in the final at Zayed Cricket stadium on Saturday.

The win took the Warriors head-to-head record over the Bulls in the tournament to 2-1 after winning their first meeting in the league phase and going down in the previous night’s qualifier.

The Bulls, who never batted first in the entire tournament, were put in and they produced their worst batting performance of the season to finish 81-9.

The Warriors have proved successful in chasing targets all tournament and in the final it was no different as they emerge as champions by eight wickets.

The chase wasn’t as easy as it appeared, though. Fidel Edwards had Warriors captain Nicholas Pooran (12) trapped in front in the second over, and the Warriors could have been in more trouble had Ravi Bopara held on to a regulation high catch off Mohammed Waseem in the next over.

It would be a costly mistake as Waseem stroked a 22-ball 27 to share a valuable 43-run stand for the second wicket with Lendl Simmons. From there, the Warriors chase was down to just under a run-a-ball, and they reached the target with 10 deliveries to spare.

Rovman Powell (16) completed the Warriors victory in style by hoisting Nyeem Young to the stands, while Simmons (14) played the anchor role to ensure his side didn’t lose wickets.

The Bulls target was never going to be a challenge for the batting might of the Warriors.

It was also a night in which everything went wrong for the Bulls. They didn’t bowl up to the mark, they dropped catches and were sloppy in the field.

Bulls openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Evin Lewis got them off to a decent start but that was the only time they got on top of the Warriors' bowling, although from Mohammad Nabi’s 10-ball 21 did offer some resistance.

The Bulls claimed 16 runs from Raya Emrit’s first over but Gurbaz fell in the second ball of the next over to UAE international Junaid Siddique, caught by Waheed Ahmed at the covers in the second attempt at 21.

Lewis fell 10 runs later to Maheesh Theekshana, the first of his three wickets, and Siddique sent Sherfane Rutherford back to reduce the Bulls to 36-3.

Nabi and Ravi Bopara (9) shared a 25-run stand for the fourth wicket but they both fell in quick succession and the rest of the Bulls' batting lineup collapsed like a pack of cards.

Theeksana won the man of the match award for his bowling figures of 3-14 in two overs.

“I backed myself and that was the only thing,” the Sri Lankan spinner said. “Pooran was a very good captain and he gave every bowler the freedom. This win means a lot.”