Abu Dhabi T10 2021: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ravi Bopara shine as Delhi Bulls chase 129 against Bangla Tigers

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (41) and Ravi Bopara (38) played excellent knocks as Delhi Bulls defeated Bangla Tigers by seven wickets in the third match of the Abu Dhabi T10 2021. Helped by a number of dropped catches by Bangla Tigers, Delhi Bulls had it rather easy in their chase of 129.

Gurbaz got Delhi Bulls off to a sensational start in their chase, hammering a length-ball from Mujeeb Ur Rahman over the bowler’s head for a maximum. 18 came off the first over,with Rahmanullah getting dropped at cover off the last ball.

Rahmanullah slammed five fours and two sixes in his 15-ball blitzkrieg. However, his enterprising innings came to an end after he was clean bowled by a yorker from Karim Janat.

Ravi Bopara was dropped off consecutive deliveries in the fifth over bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, after the batsman had taken a four and six off the previous two balls. The former England batsman went on to score 38 off 16 balls. He perished to a slower ball from Fazalhaq Farooqi, caught brilliantly by Qais Ahmad at deep square leg.

A full-toss from Janat then accounted for Mohammad Nabi the very next ball. He was caught on the boundary as Delhi Bulls put themselves under pressure. The over, however, ended up going for 17 as Ewin Lewis hit two fours and a six.

Skipper Lewis finished unbeaten on 32 from 18 as a couple of big hits from Sherfane Rutherford took Delhi Bulls over the line.

Johnson Charles takes apart Delhi Bulls' bowling

Earlier, Bangla Tigers opener Johnson Charles hammered an unbeaten 73 off 35 balls as they posted an impressive 128 for 2 in their ten overs after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Charles smashed five sixes and six fours in his blistering innings and featured in an opening stand of 101 with skipper Andre Fletcher (32 from 16) in 7.1 overs. Fletcher hit four fours and two sixes before he was cleaned up by an unplayable yorker by Dwayne Bravo (1/21).

Andre Fletcher set the innings into motion with consecutive sixes off Fidel Edwards in the second over. The fifth over of the innings went for 21 runs as Charles hammered medium-pacer Kashif Daud for two sixes and a four.

The boundaries kept coming, and Fletcher was even dropped behind the wickets. But Dwayne Bravo sent him back immediately after. However, Afif Hossain smashed the last two balls of the innings for fours as Bangla Tigers finished on a high.

Edwards, with 1 for 17, was the best bowler for Delhi Bulls who, in hindsight, proved to be a match-defining performance.