Abu Dhabi T10: Team Abu Dhabi tie with Qalandars in thriller

Luke Wright of Team Abu Dhabi playing a shot during the Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket match between Qalanders vs Team Abu Dhabi held at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National

Marchant de Lange produced the over-of-the match for Team Abu Dhabi to tie with Qalandars in a thriller in match-3 of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Qalandars required nine from the final over and the South African paceman gave away two singles, a leg bye and a four before he had Phil Salt (22) caught by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella down the leg.

With two to win from the final delivery, Seekkuge Prasanna could manage only a single.

The Abu Dhabi captain Moin Ali revealed De Lange bowled “fantastically well on the night” and bowled the ball he wanted when Qalandars required two to win.

“We defended well and to get a point from the game was a good result,” he added.

“There are a couple of things we can work on, extras were one. It was a good wicket to bat-on.

“I said to the guys it’s going to be a tight game and you got to believe until the end, and we did.

“I thought it was a very good last over he bowled. It was the ball I was asking for (from De Lang) He bowled fantastically well tonight. We played some good cricket and we can improve definitely.”

Corey Anderson produced a little cameo 22-ball 43 for Abu Dhabi to put up 103 for five.

The New Zealander thumped three sixes and an equal number of fours, and held the inning together until the final over having arrived at the crease after the fall of their captain Moin Ali (7) in the fourth over.

Dickwella stroked a seven-ball 17 with two fours and a six to give his side a breezy start but had to depart in the second over for a catch in front of the wicket off his Sri Lankan teammate Lahiru Kumara.

His opening partner Luke Wright made 20 off 15 before falling at 56 in the sixth over but Anderson kept going for Abu Dhabi to put up a challenging total on the board.

Qalandars stayed on course despite losing an early wicket, Tom Banton (16) in the second over. Dawid Malan top scored with 33 and Salt 22 to keep the chase going.

“I wouldn’t say we were unlucky it was in our hands to win the game,” Malan said.

“All credit to Marchant. He read the conditions well. We feel for the guys because they did their best.”

Qalandars were the most hit team after the Pakistan Cricket Board withdrew the NOCs of Pakistani players and the franchise had to assemble new players at short notice.

“There are not many franchises that lose 10-11 players two to three days before a tournament,” Malan, himself included two days ahead of the tournament, said.