Sharjah. It was a day of rising stars from the UAE in the 49th Bukhatir League, sponsored by Seven Districts, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Z Games Strikers, comprising the UAE’s talented youngsters, recorded a commanding 190-run victory over the UAE Development XI, a team made up of young players seeking exposure in major tournaments.
Ahaan Fernandes led the way for Z Games Strikers, scoring a fluent 70 off 73 balls with five boundaries and four sixes. He was well supported by Aryan Saxena, who hit 54 off 51 balls, studded with six boundaries and a six. The duo shared a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket. UAE Under-19 captain Aayan Afzal Khan added a quickfire 48 off 42 balls, including two boundaries and three sixes, helping the Strikers post an imposing total of 293 for 9 in 50 overs.
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Noorullah Ayoubi’s bowling spell of 3 for 43, supported by Yug Sharma (2 for 39) and Uddish Suri (2 for 63), ensured the total stayed just under the 300-run mark.
In reply, the Development XI struggled against the fiery pace of Z Games Strikers and collapsed for 103 in just 21.3 overs. Their batters had no answer to the disciplined bowling of Zeeshan Naseer, who claimed 5 wickets for just 16 runs from 6.3 overs. He was well backed by Zahid Ali, who took 3 for 20. The Development XI was reeling at 30 for 7, but Uddish Suri’s fighting 48 runs off 36 balls (8 boundaries), along with an unbeaten 16 from Yug Sharma, helped them cross the 100-run mark.
After winning the toss, Development XI chose to field first. UAE’s promising pacer Yug Sharma started with a maiden over and claimed the first breakthrough, clean bowling opener Shahrukh Muhammad Amin for 10. Lovepreet Bajwa and Taimoor Ali pushed the score to 50, before Noorullah Ayoubi had Ali caught by Yayin Kiran Rai for 22. Ronaok Panoly and Bajwa added 35 runs for the third wicket before Aliasgar Shums bowled Bajwa for 27.
Then walked in Ahaan Fernandes, who immediately made an impact. He hit Shums for two consecutive boundaries in the 21st over to take the team past the 100-run mark. Uddish Suri ended Panoly’s innings by having him caught by Ayoubi for 27. At the halfway stage, Z Games Strikers were 120 for 4, with the consistent Aryan Saxena joining Fernandes. Saxena hit two boundaries off Madhav Manoj Nair in the 27th over and followed up with three boundaries off Shalom D’Souza in the 29th to accelerate the scoring.
Soon, Fernandes launched sixes off Naseem Khan and Zainullah Khan. He reached his half-century in 58 balls and brought it up with a six in the 37th over. In the same over, Saxena also reached his fifty off 48 balls with a six. Ayoubi broke the partnership by having Saxena caught by Uddish Suri.
Aayan Afzal Khan, who joined Fernandes, kept the momentum going. Suri eventually dismissed Fernandes for 70 in the 44th over. Afzal Khan then powered the total by smashing three sixes off Suri in the 46th over. He fell just two runs short of his half-century, caught by Zainullah Khan off Yug Sharma. In the final over, Abdullah was run out for 12, while Ayoubi had Zahid Ali caught behind by wicketkeeper Muhammed Ahmed Fahad for 1 to complete his three-wicket haul.
Chasing 294, Development XI had a disastrous start, losing opener Ayaan Misbah to the first ball, caught by Saxena off Zahid Ali. In the fifth over, Ali struck again, dismissing Zainullah Khan for 1, caught by Taimoor Ali. Naseer then took over, removing Noorullah Ayoubi for 12 and Manoj Nair for 1 in the sixth over. The Development XI were reeling at 20 for 5 when Ali dismissed Rayan Khan, caught by Panoly for 1.
During the collapse, Shalom D’Souza hit Ali for a six, but Naseer soon had him caught by Shahid Bhutta for 8. He trapped Muhammed Ahmed Fahad leg-before with the very next delivery. Despite the top-order failure, Uddish Suri refused to surrender, playing a fighting knock with support from Yug Sharma. In the 16th over, Suri struck three consecutive boundaries off Shahid Bhutta. The duo added 53 runs for the eighth wicket before Suri was caught behind by Abdullah off Bhutta for 48.
In the 21st over, Shums was caught by Naseer off Shahrukh Amin for 1. Naseer wrapped up the innings by clean bowling Naseem Khan for 1 in the 22nd over to claim his fifth wicket. Yug Sharma remained unbeaten on 16 as the Development XI were bowled out for 103.
Brief scores:
Z Game Strikers bt UAE Development XI by 190 runs. Z Game Strikers 293 for 9 in 50 overs (Taimoor Ali 22, Lovepreet Bajwa 27, Ronak Panoly 27, Ahaan Fernandes 70, Aryan Saxena 54, Aayan Afzal Khan 48, Yug Sharma 2 for 39, Noorullah Ayoubi 3 for 43, Uddish Suri 2 for 63) UAE Development XI 103 in 21.3 overs (Uddish Suri 48. Zahid Ali 3 for 20, Zeeshan Naseer 5 for 16)
Player of the Match: Zeeshan Naseer
