Sports

New York Strikers crowned new champions of Abu Dhabi T10

Published

1 year ago

December 10, 2023

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New York Strikers wiped away the pain of last edition’s loss to Deccan Gladiators in the final and crowned themselves as the new champions of the Abu Dhabi T10 in the seventh edition at the Zayed Cricket Stadium by recording a seven-wicket win.

Pakistan’s Asif Ali, known for his power-hitting skills, and skipper Kieron Pollard, put on an unbeaten 56 runs partnership for the fourth wicket in 29 balls. Ali remained unbeaten on 48 off 25 balls with four sixes and two boundaries while Pollard scored an unconquered 21 off 13 balls with one boundary and a six to win the final with four balls to spare. They thus lifted the trophy and received the prize money of $100,000.

It was a creditable show from New York Strikers that had become part of the Abu Dhabi T10 only in the last edition and have reached the final in both the editions and now won the title too.

Gladiators, who were hoping to record a hat-trick of title triumphs having won the earlier two editions, received the runners-up prize money of $50,000. Their plans to post a big total was squashed by Sunil Narine who bagged two wickets for six runs from his two overs and restricted Deccan Gladiators to 91 for 5. It was the same total that New York Strikers were restricted to in the last edition’s final that Gladiators won by 37 runs.

Brief scores:
New York Strikers bt Deccan Gladiators by 7 wkts. Deccan Gladiators 91 for 5 in 10 overs (Andre Russell 30, David Wiese 20n.o. Sunil Narine 2 for 6) New York Strikers 94 for 3 in 9.2 overs (Asif Ali 48n.o, Kieron Pollard 22n.o)

Player of the Match: Asif Ali

Player of the Tournament: Akeal Hosein

Bowler of the Tournament: Akeal Hosein

Batter of the Tournament: Tom Kohler-Cadmore

UAE Player of the Tournament: Mohammad Jawadulah

Tale of the final battle for supremacy

The tale of the final unfolded with New York skipper Pollard winning the toss and electing to bowl. Gladiators’ heavy scorer and aggressive batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who has often hit the first ball of the innings to a boundary, did that to Mohammad Amir steering him past point. He also hit the second delivery through deep cover for another boundary. Twelve runs came off the first over.

Muhammad Jawadullah, who bowled the second over too found his first ball race to the boundary. The author of that shot was skipper Nicholas Pooran who elegantly picked the gap between gully and short third man. Pooran also hit Jawadullah’s fifth delivery over gully to pick another boundary. The last ball of the over too went for a boundary over backward point. Twenty-four runs were scored in the first two overs.

Sunil Narine, hailed as a mystery spinner, struck to end the innings of Kohler-Cadmore on unlucky 13 with a ball that turned and hit the middle stump. Worse was to follow. In the third over England’s right arm pacer George Scrimshaw got Pooran out caught by Narine at extra cover for 15.

Andre Russell joined Andre Fletcher, a pair that is capable of tearing apart any attack. However, their partnership lasted only eight runs. Narine sturck again with the fourth ball of his second over forcing Fletcher to pull into the hands of Odean Smith for 5. By the half way mark, Deccan Gladiators were struggling at 37 for 3.

Imad Wasim and Russell tried hard to pull their team to a strong total. But Jawadullah strangled the runs with his accurate five deliveries and removed Wasim with the last ball of that over for 3. Asif Ali at extra cover pulled off a stunning catch diving to his right and produced a one-handed catch.

Scrimshaw was re-introduced for the seventh over and Russell hit the second six of the innings over mid-wicket off his second delivery. He also pulled him for another six over deep square leg. With only three more overs to go, Gladiators’ score read an unimpressive 57 for 4.

Akeal Hosein, who produced a hat-trick in Qualifier 1 against Samp Army, struck with the first ball of the eighth over to get Fabian Allen caught at deep mid-wicket by Asif Ali for 1. He also gave away just six runs only in that over. Half the side was back in the dug-out for 63.

Russell fought a lonely battle and finally top edged Amir’s first ball of the ninth over the wicketkeeper for a boundary. David Wiese pulled Amir’s fifth ball for a six and the last ball for a boundary.

Wiese hit Hosein, who bowled the last over, was hit for a six off the second delivery. But that is the only big hit that came of that over. The pair had put on an unbeaten 34 runs in 17 balls for the sixth wicket. Russell remained unbeaten on 30 off 18 balls with two boundaries and two sixes and Wiese unconquered on 20 off 11 balls with two sixes and a boundary for a total of nine runs short of the 100 run mark.

Asif and Pollard’s stubborn batting show

The chase began with Trent Bout bowling at full pace to New York openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Muhammad Waseem. With the fifth ball, he trapped Waseem on 6, leg before with a ball that nipped back. Nuwan Tushara too produced a beauty to clean bowl Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 1. The ball went through his defense to hit the wicket.

Asif Ali joined Niroshan Dickwella and flicked the first ball he faced for a boundary to fine leg. The crowd whistled for the batters but Boult who bowled the third over gave away only one boundary to Dickwella. In the fourth over, Asif Ali gave the crowd what they wanted. He hit Imad Wasim for two sixes off the third and fifth ball both to deep mid-wicket.

Russell struck in the fifth over by removing Dickwella caught by Khawaja Nafay at mid-on for 14. At the half-way mark, New York needed 50 runs off the remaining five overs. Asif Ali hit Waqar Salamkheil’s first delivery for a boundary. Pollard smashed Waqar for a six over mid-wicket to make it anybody’s game.

Asif also hit Thushara for a six off the first ball of the seventh over to long off. Pollard and Asif also ran for quick runs and took 14 runs off Thushara’s over to turn the target into a gettable 25 for 18 balls.

UAE’s Zahoor Khan was introduced for the eighth over and Asif hit Zahoor’s fifth delivery for a six and made it 14 runs from 12 deliveries. Pollard cracked a boundary off Russell’s third delivery of the ninth over to make it five runs off the last over. The pair put on a 50 runs partnership off the first ball of the last over from Zahoor to take the trophy away from Gladiators.

Related Topics:#abudhabisportshub #abudhabit10 #t10league

Staff Reporter

Sports

CHESS STARS TURN COWBOYS FOR A DAY AT NORWAY CHESS GAMES 2025

Published

18 hours ago

May 31, 2025

Staff Reporter

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In a dramatic twist from the chessboard to the Wild West, the world’s top chess players swapped pawns for pistols, sieves, and lassos in this year’s edition of Norway Chess Games.

Held on a tournament rest day, the tradition of light-hearted competition continued in unforgettable fashion with the “Chess Cowboy Challenge”, a high-spirited showdown in Westernbyen, a Western-themed village in Ålgård, just outside Stavanger.

This year’s participants was -the star-studded lineup from Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh was unfortunately not able to join, and stepping in was Ella Carlsen, wife of Magnus, proving to be quite the sharpshooter in more ways than one.

Adopting their new Western personas, the players embraced the theme wholeheartedly:

Magnus “The Lone GOAT” Carlsen
Caruana “The Sicilian Sniper”
Hikaru “The Blitz Bandit” Nakamura
Arjun “No Slip” Erigaisi
Wei “The Quiet Storm” Yi
Gukesh “The Chennai Sharpshooter” D

Vaishali “The Rising Rider” Rameshbabu
Anna “Ice Veins” Muzychuk
Humpy “The Hammer” Koneru
Lei “The Lockdown” Tingjie
Ju “No-Loss” Wenjun
Ella Carlsen (stepping in as an honorary cowgirl)

With nicknames as fierce as their over-the-board styles, the competitors were more than ready to tackle the cowboy gauntlet ahead.

The Chess Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks. They faced the Sheriff’s memory test in a jail escape, sought enlightenment by solving the priest’s riddle in the chapel, mined for gold, and tried their hand at axe throwing beside the church. Air rifles, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes at the pleasure house, and classic horseshoe throws added to the flavor of the day, with real horses roaming the scene for that authentic atmosphere.

Each team, made up of one male and one female player, competed across all stations as they worked their way through the village.

Final Standings:

1st place: Magnus & Ella Carlsen — crowned Chess Sheriffs

2nd place: Hikaru Nakamura & Anna Muzychuk

3rd place: Fabiano Caruana & Vaishali Rameshbabu

4th place: Gukesh D & Ju Wenjun

5th place: Wei Yi & Lei Tingjie

6th place: Arjun Erigaisi & Humpy Koneru

About Norway Chess Games

Norway Chess Games is an annual tradition held during the tournament’s rest day. It gives the world’s best players a break from intense competition and a chance to connect in creative, unexpected ways. Previous editions have included:

Chess Chefs– a culinary battle where players cooked for top chefs
Cake Decorating Challenge– full of icing, sprinkles, and strategy
Farmer for a Day– featuring hand-milking cows and driving tractors
Design Your Own Knit Sweater– where players designed patterns later hand-knitted into real sweaters as unique keepsakes

Business

Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli invests in Dubai-founded World Bowling League to take the sport global

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Michael Gomes

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India’s cricket superstar Virat Kohli has become an investor in the World Bowling League (WBL), a Dubai-founded initiative set to reinvent bowling as a fast-paced, global spectator sport.

Kohli joins Major League Baseball (MLB) icon Mookie Betts as a high-profile partner in the WBL, which was launched by Dubai-based entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra. The league is reimagining the traditional game with a dynamic format featuring mixed-gender teams, international tournaments, and a modern media-first approach aimed at younger audiences.

With franchises expected in Dubai and other global cities, the WBL plans to host 12 to 15 tournaments annually across the United States, Europe, and Asia, as part of its ambitious five-year growth plan.

“When I discovered Virat is also a bowler, it was exciting to align with this new-age vision for the sport,” said Mishra, founder and CEO of League Sports Co.

Kohli, one of the most followed athletes in the world on social media, revealed a long-standing personal connection to the sport.

“I started bowling when I was 11 years old,” Kohli said. “It’s clear how popular the sport is, yet it remains underappreciated as a business.”

The 36-year-old’s global influence and passion for sport are expected to significantly boost the league’s visibility and credibility as it enters its debut season. The WBL aims to position bowling not just as a recreational activity but as an engaging, competitive, and commercially viable sport with global appeal.

Sports

Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City boss says his team will come back stronger next season

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Michael Gomes

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After a difficult season that saw Manchester City fall short of their lofty standards, Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has assured fans the team will bounce back in 2025 with renewed hunger and ambition.

Speaking in his annual end-of-season interview, published on the club’s website, Al Mubarak acknowledged that the recently concluded campaign was below par by City’s expectations. The team, which previously captured a historic Treble in 2022/23 and a record fourth consecutive Premier League title in 2023/24, ended this season with only the Community Shield to show.

“This season is now behind us,” Al Mubarak said. “Today is a new day. We’ve already started preparing for next season – in fact, we’ve been doing that since January.”

Transfer plans in motion

With the FIFA Club World Cup in June fast approaching, Al Mubarak confirmed that City are targeting new signings this summer to strengthen Pep Guardiola’s squad.

“We will take all the good things and the not-so-good things from this season, learn from them, and come back stronger,” he said.

“The club will do everything possible to return to the standards we know we can achieve.”

He also revealed that top-level discussions were already underway, with Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, CEO Ferran Soriano, manager Pep Guardiola, and Football Partnerships Director Hugo Viana all working closely on transfer strategy.

“I just got off the phone with Ferran. He spent the day with Txiki, Pep, and Hugo today. We finished our last game yesterday, and today we’re working. Nobody’s going on vacation yet,” he added.

Hunger in the squad

Despite the underwhelming season, the mood in the dressing room remains determined and focused. Al Mubarak attended City’s final game of the campaign, a 2-0 win at Fulham, and noted a strong sense of motivation among the players.

“Everyone I saw after the Fulham game was excited about coming back,” he said.

“They’re hungry. Rodri is already looking for games. Erling [Haaland] didn’t want to go on vacation, he wanted to stay with the physios and prepare for next season. That’s the attitude you want.”

Al Mubarak’s confidence in the club’s future stems from this player-driven determination and the leadership’s proactive approach to the upcoming transfer window.

“We’re going to come back strong, with a lot of positivity,” he said. “And I can assure you – we will be back competing for the biggest prizes next season.”