Abu Dhabi, Dec 3 (IANS): Team Abu Dhabi kept their title hopes alive in the tournament after defeating Bangla Tigers by 7 wickets in the Eliminator of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, here on Friday.
Batting first, Bangla Tigers posted a total of 101/4 in their 10 overs. In reply, Paul Stirling played a brilliant inning of 57 runs from 20 balls to help Team Abu Dhabi chase down the target in 6.5 overs. Team Abu Dhabi will now take on Delhi Bulls in Qualifier 2.
Chasing the target, Paul Stirling smashed Mohammad Amir for two boundaries and a six in the second over and set the ball rolling for Team Abu Dhabi. He smashed two more sixes off James Faulkner's bowling in the next over.
The opening batters Paul Stirling and Philip Salt put Team Abu Dhabi in the driver's seat with a partnership of 81 runs in 4.5 overs. Salt and Stirling were dismissed in quick succession, however, Chris Gayle and Colin Ingram closed out the game in clinical fashion in the end.
Earlier, Hazratullah Zazai single-handedly took the Bangla Tigers to 101/4 in their 10 overs. The Afghanistan cricketer smashed 5 fours and 4 sixes in his magnificent innings of 66 not out off 37 balls. Sheldon Cottrell set the tone with the ball for Team Abu Dhabi by taking the wicket of Johnson Charles in the first over itself and then Faf du Plessis fell to Fidel Edwards in the next over.
Edwards put more pressure on the Tigers by dismissing Will Jacks for a first-ball duck and then Marchant de Lange joined the party by taking the wicket of Will Smeed in the fourth over.
Thereafter, Zazai took matters into his own hands and smashed Edwards for three boundaries in the sixth over. The Afghanistan cricketer took on de Lange as well, smacking him for a four and a six in the eighth over, taking the Tigers' score to 76/4.
The Bangla Tigers propelled their score over hundred by gathering 18 runs off the last over. Benny Howell played a fantastic hand of 14 not out runs from 11 balls as well.
Brief scores: Team Abu Dhabi 105/3 (Paul Stirling 57, Philip Salt 24, Benny Howell 2/22) beat Bangla Tigers 101/4 (Hazratullah Zazai 66 not out, Benny Howell 14 not out, Fidel Edwards 2-20) by 7 wickets.