Abu Dhabi T10: Delhi Bulls trample Deccan Gladiators

Abu Dhabi, February 2: Deccan Gladiators crashed before the effortless power-hitting by Delhi Bulls' openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Evin Lewis in the third Super League match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Chasing Gladiators total of 118 for 7, the opening pair put on 90 runs in 4.5 overs and guided their team to an emphatic eight-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Gurbaz cracked 47 runs off 20 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes. Lewis hit 35 off 14 balls with four sixes and one boundary.

Although Deccan Gladiators lost four wickets in the first five overs, they posted 118 for 7 mainly due to Kieron Pollard's 47 off 18 balls with four sixes and four boundaries.

Gladiators went past the 100-run mark in the ninth over when Anwar Ali lifted Bravo over mid-wicket. Unfortunately, he fell to the very next ball caught at extra cover for 7. Pollard then hit a one-handed six over the covers off Bravo. Ali Khan ended Pollard's knock by having him caught at long-off by Mohammad Nabi for 47 of the first ball of the last over.

Chasing the target, Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit Imtiaz Ahmed's first three deliveries of the first over for three consecutive boundaries. Twenty runs came off the first over. In the second over, Evin Lewis hit Ravi Rampaul for two sixes and a boundary to pick another 20 runs off the second over. Runs came at a brisk pace when Gurbaz too hit Anwar Ali for a six and a boundary of the first two deliveries off the third over.

The pair's 50 runs partnership came in just 2.2 overs. Gurbaz continued to hit two more boundaries and pick 18 runs off that over. Sunil Narine, who bowled the fourth over, was also not spared by Gurbaz. He hit him for a boundary and slog-swept him for a six. When Imran Tahir was introduced for the fifth over, Lewis hit him for two consecutive sixes.

Attempting another big hit, Lewis hit straight to Imtiaz Ahmed at deep mid-wicket for 35. So breezy was the opening partnership of 90 runs that Delhi needed only 29 more runs from the last five overs. Tahir struck again in the seventh over to get the wicket of Gurbaz having him caught at long-on for 47.

Sherfane Rutherford through a quick 13-ball 28 runs ensured the victory with 11 balls to spare.

Brief scores: Deccan Gladiators: 118/7 (Azam Khan 22, Kieron Pollard 47, Ali Khan 2-4) lost to Delhi Bulls: 122/2 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 47, Evin Lewis 35, Imran Tahir 2-30) by 8 wickets.