Abu Dhabi, Nov 30 (IANS): Team Abu Dhabi have match-winners all the way through, skipper Liam Livingstone said after an eight-run victory over Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10 played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
In an engrossing match between the top two sides of the tournament, Livingstone top-scored with 59 runs from 24 balls, including six sixes and three fours, as Abu Dhabi made 125/4 from 10 overs. While defending the target, pacers Sheldon Cottrell and Marchant de Lange took two wickets apiece to restrict the Gladiators to 117/8 from 10 overs.
"We still got little moments of the game wrong. It is quite encouraging that we get a little bit of the game wrong and still win the game of cricket. It's been good fun. We have played some good cricket. We have lots of match winners in our team. It has proven to be vital for us at the moment. It is a nice win, especially against them."
The tournament has been a great experience for everyone in the team, Livingstone added.
"It's nice to be representing the home city. Every game somebody else is doing the business. That's the exciting part for us. Anybody that comes in has got the potential to win a game for us. It's been entertaining. We have played some good cricket and some bad cricket but that's what T10 cricket is all about."
The Team Abu Dhabi skipper said the players have been able to deal with losses and life in bio-bubble.
"Everybody sort of deals with these tournaments differently. Some people enjoy staying out, some enjoy staying in their rooms playing video games, some enjoy chilling together, it's all about what each individual wants to do themselves. We just encourage people to be themselves, enjoy playing cricket together and have a smile on their faces while on the pitch. Go on, take the game on, have some fun. And sort of get excited about what could go right and not worry about what could go wrong. Thankfully over the course of the tournament it has been working for all of us."
Livingstone has enjoyed captaining and playing in the shortest format of the game.
"It's been great fun. It suits my game pretty well. The cool thing is that there is no real time to think, you just go out and do what you do. Bowl a couple of overs, smack a couple out of the ground if you can. There is no time to take a backward step."
After nine matches, Team Abu Dhabi tops the points table with 14 points, followed by the Gladiators with 12 points. In the second match of the day, Chennai Braves registered their first win of the tournament by defeating Northern Warriors by 10 wickets.