Sharjah. Sharjah Cricket’s Business Development manager Khalid Shah, showcased his cricketing prowess on how to develop a match winning total by cracking 96 runs and steering UAE Kings XI to a 71 runs win over GHK Properties in the 49th Bukhatir League, sponsored by Seven Districts, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Shah is one of UAE’s stylish left-handers and has played for the UAE in eight T20 Internationals. He hit eight boundaries and six sixers through this 119 balls innings to help Kings XI post 299 in 49. 5 overs and restrict GHK Properties for 228 in 38.1 overs.
Khalid Shah receives the Player of the Match award from match referee Tehseen Javed
Shah who hasn’t played for UAE since 2023 told cricketlovers.com after his knock that “I want to return to the UAE team and I wanted to play such a knock against GHK which had some of the finest bowlers in the UAE.” Reflecting his passion for the game, his Instagram bio reads: “Cricket isn’t just a game, it’s a language I speak fluently.” He indeed batted fluently, putting on a 115-run partnership in 24.2 overs with opening partner Tanish Suri, who played a fine run-a-ball knock of 61 runs, laced with six boundaries and three sixes.
Coming off a duck in the previous game against Colatta Chocolates, Suri batted with purpose to prove his form. They together put on a 115 runs in 24.2 overs. Despite Shah’s dominant knock, GHK’s Wasim Akram bowled a notable spell, taking 5 for 59, supported by Umair Ali who claimed 2 for 57.
Kings XI innings:
After winning the toss and opting to bat, Kings XI made full use of the surface. Shah struck the first boundary of the match off Akram in the second over. Suri followed with four boundaries in the third over bowled by Muhammad Irrfan, and took the attack to Akram again in the seventh over, hitting a boundary and a six off consecutive deliveries.
While Suri played the aggressor, Shah held back early on. In their 50-run partnership, Shah contributed just six runs. However, from the 17th over onwards, he opened up, smashing Rohan Mustafa for a boundary and a six off back-to-back deliveries.
Suri brought up his half-century in 44 balls with a six off Keshav Sharma. The duo’s 100-run stand came in 22.1 overs, highlighted by another Shah six off Mustafa, followed by yet another in the same over. Shah reached his fifty in 85 balls, shifting gears impressively.
The partnership ended when Shahbaz Ali had Suri caught by Sagar Kalyan for 61. Shah continued the onslaught, hitting two sixes off Sharma in the next over. MD Shahdad fell to Akram for 14, also caught by Kalyan. Shah entered the 90s by the 33rd over but was dismissed for 96 by Umair Ali, caught by Mustafa — just four runs shy of a century.
Kings XI crossed the 200-mark in the 37th over. Mustafa removed Danish Ahmad for 9, while Akram took out Faizan Awant (31) and Faisal Altaf (11), ending Kings XI’s innings one short of the 300-run mark.
GHK Properties innings:
GHK Properties began their chase losing the wickets of their top batters. The first to go was Mustafa for a duck to the third ball of the first over after getting clean bowled by Nav Pabreja. In the fourth over, Sandeep Singh got clean bowled to Hafeez Ur Rehman for 10. The experienced Sagar Kalyan and Yasir took the score to 62 before Nawodya Wijayakumara got Kalyan out for 31 by trapping him leg before. Wijayakumara also got Yasir out for 28 in the 13th over.
At 121 for 5, GHK lost Mayank Choudhary, caught by Shah off MD Shahdad for 17. Soon after, Shahbaz Ali was bowled by Zaffir Yasin for 28. By the halfway mark, GHK were 131 for 6.
Shahdad tightened the noose, bowling Mohit Kalyan for 10. Harshit Kaushik tried to revive the chase, hitting Yasin for a boundary and two sixes in the 34th over and reaching his half-century in 40 balls. He struck Shahdad for another six and a four in the 37th over.
However, Pabreja returned to dismiss Umar Ali (caught by Faizan Awant for 14) and later ended Kaushik’s brave innings of 65 (off 47 balls, 8x4s, 4x6s), caught by Faisal Altaf. He picked up his fourth wicket by having Akram caught by Shah for 4, bowling out GHK for 228. Despite a few spirited knocks, GHK fell short, with many overs left but no batters remaining.
Brief scores
UAE Kings XI bt GHK Properties by 71 runs. UAE Kings XI 299 in 49.5 overs (Tanish Suri 61, Khalid Shah 96, Faizan Awan 31, Jawo 38, Wasim Akram 5 for 59, Umair Ali 2 for 57) GHK Properties 228 in 38.1 overs (Sagar Kalyan 31, Yasir 28, Shahbaz Ali 28, Harshit Kaushik 65, Nav Pabreja 4 for 39, Nawodya Wijayakumara 2 for 24, MD Shahdad 2 for 51)
Player of the Match: Khalid Shah
