Abu Dhabi, (PNP): Aspin Stallions galloped into the final after a blistering 19-ball half-century from Sherfane Rutherford powered them to a seven-wicket victory against Quetta Qavalry at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Qualifier 1 of 2025 Abu Dhabi T10. Rutherford struck six fours and six sixes in his unbeaten 66 to hand the Qavalry a second consecutive loss and book the Stallions’ place in the title decider.
The Qavalry will now face the winner of the fixture between UAE Bulls and Ajman Titans for a second shot at the finals.
Chasing 103 runs for a place in the final, the Stallions were wobbling precariously at 13/2 with Andre Fletcher and Avishka Fernando dismissed inside 2.3 overs.
The momentum shifted rapidly as Rahmanullah Gurbaz (19 off 22) provided stability at one end while Sherfane Rutherford (66* off 22) unleashed a devastating counterattack that turned the match on its head. Rutherford thumped three fours and a six off Abbas Afridi in the fifth over before following it up with two more maximums off Majid Ali to seize control of the chase.
Mohammad Amir (1/5) then broke the partnership with the wicket of Gurbaz in the eight over. With 23 runs needed of 12 balls, Rutherford smashed three sixes and a four in the ninth over to seal the victory with seven balls to spare.
Batting first, the Qavalry lost Evin Lewis early, but Muhammad Waseem (17 off 11) and the in-form Andries Gous (26 off 16) ensured a swift recovery with a 31-run stand in 15 deliveries. Waseem was then removed by Ashmead Nedd, while Gous was scalped by Karim Janat to leave the Qavalry at 61-3 in seven overs.
Skipper Liam Livingstone was also amongst the runs again. He combined with Khawaja Nafay to take Nedd for 22 runs in the eighth over, giving the run-rate a much-needed boost.
Livingstone was Karim Janat’s second wicket of the night, while Nafay was run out in the final over as the Qavalry posted a competitive total of 102/6. Binura Fernando and Karim Janat proved to the difference, with impactful figures of 2/14 and 2/9 respectively.
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*UAE Bulls smash 162/3 to equal highest total in Abu Dhabi T10 history*
~ Salt, Tim David and Rovman Powell make it rain sixes in Abu Dhabi ~
In an innings that saw 16 sixes, UAE Bulls made a strong start with Phil Salt (59 off 26) launching four sixes in the opening overs to race the Bulls to 31/0. The English opener was particularly severe on Akif Javed, smashing three consecutive sixes in the second over to set the tone for the Bulls’ innings.
Salt found an able partner in James Vince (21 off 10), as the duo combined for a 68-run opening stand that had the Titans reeling. The partnership was finally broken when Wasim Akram removed Vince in the fifth over to provide the first breakthrough. Salt continued his onslaught, bringing up his fifty in just 21 balls with seven sixes and two fours.
The carnage continued as Tim David (40 off 13) and Rovman Powell (32* off 10) proved even more rampant in the middle overs. David hit four consecutive sixes while Powell carved three fours and three sixes as the Bulls posted a mammoth 162/3, tying the highest total at the Abu Dhabi Venue.
Please note – at the time of this Press Release, the Eliminator between UAE Bulls and Ajman Titans was ongoing.
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