Top 10 moments from the 2019 season of The Abu Dhabi T10
The fourth edition of The Abu Dhabi T10 is set to start on January 28 and promises to be an exciting ten days of cricketing action for fans across the world. With global superstars taking part in cricket’s fastest format, we are in for an entertaining season. Just like how it was the last time around.
Here’s a look back at the top moments from the last edition of The Abu Dhabi T10.
1. Chris Lynn misses maiden century
After winning the toss and choosing to strap on the pads, Maratha Arabians captain Chris Lynn’s blistering opening knock turned into a nightmare for Team Abu Dhabi. The Australian struck an unbeaten 91 from just 30 balls, narrowly missing out on the first century of The Abu Dhabi T10. His innings had nine fours and seven sixes as he scored at a strike rate of well over 300. He faced just four balls in the last three overs, thus robbing him of what could have been a well-deserved ton. Nevertheless, it stands as the highest individual score in The Abu Dhabi T10.
2. Kieron Pollard smacks 30 in an over
Kieron Pollard, one of the biggest hitters in the world, gave a full show of his strength when batting for the Deccan Gladiators. Chasing Karnataka Tuskers’ 110, Kieron Pollard smacked Sandeep Lamichhane for four straight sixes and a four in the sixth over, before ending it with a double. The scorecard went from reading a daunting 66 needed off 30 to a relatively-tame 36 needed from 24. Needless to say, the West Indian guided his team to a comfortable victory, with nine balls to spare.
3. Northern Warriors go south
The Northern Warriors had one of the most catastrophic falls in the history of the tournament during their match against the Qalandars. Chasing 112, the Northern Warriors started slow, getting 27 runs in the first four overs but without losing any wicket. However, it went downhill from there. From being wicketless in four overs to all out in the next six, the team’s batting line-up fell like a pack of cards. They added 19 runs in the next 36 balls and lost 10 wickets, losing the match by 66 runs. Their 46 all-out remains the lowest score of The Abu Dhabi T10.
4. Chadwick Walton’s runout hat-trick
You might have seen bowlers take hat-tricks, but Maratha Arabians’ wicket-keeper Chadwick Walton also completed a hat-trick — of runouts — in the biggest night of last season. Fielding first in the finals against the Deccan Gladiators, Chadwick Walton ran out three batsmen in the last three balls of the ultimate over with razor-sharp throws and lightning-fast glovework. His superior keeping efforts restricted the Deccan Gladiators to just 87/8, which ultimately proved to be an easy chase for the Maratha Arabians.
5. Dominator in the Eliminator – Dan Lawrence
In the all-important Eliminator 1 against Bangla Tigers, Dan Lawrence played a match-winning knock for the Deccan Gladiators, taking them a step closer to the finals. Lawrence dished out three maximums and two fours, hitting relentlessly to all parts of the ground en route his 13-ball 33. The splendid batting display won him the Man of the Match award.
6. Bangla Tigers tie with Delhi Bulls
Bangla Tigers and Delhi Bulls played out an entertaining draw in the 12th match of the last season, which went down to the wire. Chasing a 109-run target, Delhi Bulls required 17 from the last over and their captain Eoin Morgan along with Angelo Matthews looked all set to take home the win. The first four balls produced 13 runs but the decision to take an extra run in the next ball backfired as Angelo Matthews was run out. In a thrilling climax, Eoin Morgan could only muster up two off the last ball to level the scorers with Bangla Tigers.
7. Another Chris Lynn blitz
Australian international Chris Lynn produced another elite performance that saw him decimate the Delhi Bulls’ bowling attack effortlessly. Chris Lynn muscled his way to 89 off 33, helping the Maratha Arabians reach a mammoth total of 146/4 in ten overs. The opener made little work of the world-class bowling line-up, featuring Adil Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, hitting nine huge sixes and five fours.
8. Ali Khan’s double-wicket maiden
In the same match Chris Lynn made 89 from 33, Ali Khan bowled one of the finest overs of The Abu Dhabi T10. The USA cricketer displayed an array of variations to beat the batsmen, taking the wickets of dangerman Chris Lynn and Najibullah Zadran without giving any runs in the ninth over. Bouncers, yorkers, and slower ones were all part of his deceitful double-wicket maiden over which read – 0, 0, W, W, 0, 0.
9. Chris Green scalps two with the new ball
The first few overs of a T10 match are probably the most dreadful ones for bowlers since the fielding restrictions are on and batsmen start swinging from the first ball. Australian all-rounder Chris Green, bowling with the new ball for Northern Warriors, was welcomed with a boundary. Chris Green, however, made a strong comeback and trumped two batsmen in the next two deliveries by knocking down the stumps with his crafty off-spin. His next two balls also failed to produce any runs for the opposition.
10. Leg spinner bowls a bouncer
It’s a rare occasion to see a spinner bowl a fast one, let alone a bouncer. But one such moment came in the last season. Bangla Tigers’ leg spinner Qais Ahmad startled Northern Warriors’ Andre Russell with a mean bouncer, even though the batsman was not wearing his helmet – standard practice when facing spinners. Andre Russell evaded the ball by leaning back and falling to the ground. Qais Ahmad was quick to laugh it off but Andre Russell didn’t look amused after the shock and wore his helmet for the remaining deliveries.