Abu Dhabi T10: Nicholas Pooran smashes 32-ball 80 to help Deccan Gladiators beat Northern Warriors by 24 runs

Abu Dhabi, Nov 25: West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran continued his good form with the bat and smashed a 32-ball 80 to entertain fans at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi to hand Deccan Gladiators a big 24-run win over Northern Warriors in the first game on day three of the Abu Dhabi T10 on Friday (November 25).

Pooran - who was recently released by his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad - is sending a strong message to the franchises with his second consecutive half-century in the shortest format of the game.

Against Warriors, Pooran's knock was studded with 10 boundaries and three sixes. The left-handed batter, who had cracked an unbeaten 77 in their earlier match against Team Abu Dhabi, carried his form to this match too and helped Deccan Gladiators post an impressive 134 for 6. Chasing the target, the Northern Warriors could only muster 114 for 5 in 10 overs.

Deccan Gladiators won the toss and promptly elected to bat. Jason Roy and Tom Kohler-Cadmore began slowly as opening bowler Gus Atkinson bowled a tight first over giving away just five runs.

From the second over, Roy began to hit starting with a boundary off Junaid Siddique towards fine leg. He also hit Siddiqui for a six over long leg and picked another boundary to the third man off the fifth. His aggressive innings ended in the last ball of that over while attempting a huge shot, missing and getting bowled for 18.

Pooran began in his usual aggressive style hitting Liam Dawson for a six to square leg and also picking a boundary to the same area. The fourth over saw Kohler Cadmore opening up with a six to mid-wicket and a straight boundary.

The Caribbean wicketkeeper-batter continued his aggressive shots hitting Wayne Parnell's first delivery for a boundary to mid-on and then a six to square leg off the next ball. It was a treat to watch Pooran also pull Parnell to the mid-wicket fence for another boundary.

Rayad Emrit was also welcomed with a boundary to the backward point and two balls later another boundary to the mid-wicket fence. Gus Atkinson who was re-introduced was also greeted with a boundary by Pooran off the first ball. By the end of the seventh over, Deccan Gladiators were placed in a strong position at 92 for 1 and 51 off those runs coming from Pooran's bat.

Junaid Siddiqui was re-introduced for the eighth over with Pooran in full flow. He hit him for 16 runs with three boundaries and steered Deccan Gladiators past the 100-run mark. In the ninth over, Kohler hit Parnell's first delivery for a six to long-off. Pooran also hit a six to backward square leg to swell the total.

He continued to greet a bowler with a boundary off his first ball by hitting Emrit to the extra cover fence. His spectacular knock of 80 came to an end in the second ball of the last over from Emrit when he got caught at long-on by Deyal.

Next man Andre Russell got run out to a wide delivery for 3. Kohler Cadmore remained unbeaten on 32 off 16 balls with two sixes and one boundary. Deccan Gladiators went on to post an impressive 138 for 3 in 10 overs.

Adam Lyth and Kennar Lewis started Northern Warriors' chase towards the target. Lyth hit opening bowler Josh Little for a boundary off the second ball and a six to mid-wicket off the third delivery. In the second over, Lyth picked three boundaries off Odean Smith.

Though Lewis scored a six off Tom Helm to backward square leg, Helm gave away no runs from the rest of the five deliveries. Lyth made up for that in the fourth over hitting Tabraiz Shamsi for two sixes off the first and fourth deliveries. Lewis too hit Shamsi for a six off the last ball to take 21 runs off that over.

David Wiese was also hit for a six off the third ball of the fifth over. Kennar Lewis' innings ended with the fifth ball caught behind by wicketkeeper Pooran for 19. The opening pair had put on 59 runs in 4.5 overs. Odean Smith then struck in the sixth over to remove Adam Lyth, caught by Sultan Ahmed at extra over for 51. His 22-ball knock had five boundaries and four sixes.

The mantle of taking Northern Warriors to the target now fell on skipper Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford. Deccan Gladiators introduced UAE pacer Zahoor Khan for the seventh over. He gave away a boundary and a six to Rutherford. Still, Northern Warriors needed 55 runs off the last three overs. Helm proved how tough a bowler he is to be hit getting Rutheford out for 6, caught by Wiese at long on and also removing skipper Rowman Powell bowled for 10. He gave away just six runs off that over for Deccan Gladiators to take a firm grip on the match.

With 49 runs needed off 12 balls, Little was re-introduced for the ninth over. He got Wayne Parnell out clean bowled for a duck with the fourth ball giving away just nine runs. With forty runs needed from the last over, Wiese came into the attack and conceded 15 runs to restrict Warriors to 114 for 5 and ended up winning the match by 24 runs.

Brief scores: Deccan Gladiators beat Northern Warriors by 24 runs. Deccan Gladiators 138 for 3 in 10 overs (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 32n.o, Nicholas Pooran 80) Northern Warriors 114 for 5 in 10 overs (Adam Lyth 51, Tom Helm 2 for 12)

Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran