ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Player-of-the-tournament Nicholas Pooran played another key role as Deccan Gladiators defeated Kieron Pollard’s New York Strikers by 37 runs to lift the Abu Dhabi T10 title here yesterday.
Asked to bat first in the final at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Gladiators gathered a challenging 128 for four from their 10 overs with South African all-rounder David Wiese top-scoring with an 18-ball unbeaten 43 and captain Pooran belting 40 not out off 23 balls.
In reply, Strikers slumped to 29 for four and never really recovered, eventually ending on 91 for five.
Skipper Pollard, who retired hurt in the eighth over with 56 runs required from 14 balls, top-scored with 23 from 15 balls while Englishman Jordan Thompson weighed in with an unbeaten 22 from 17 deliveries. West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (2-16) gave Strikers a strong start when he removed both openers Suresh Raina (7) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (11) but Pooran counter-attacked to lead Gladiators’ revival.
The left-hander, who recently resigned as West Indies white-ball captain, struck five fours and a six as he added 29 for the third wicket with international teammate Andre Russell (9) and a further 74 for the fourth with Wiese who lashed two fours and four sixes. Pooran eventually fell to Pollard off the final ball of the innings, skying a catch to short fine leg.
Irish seamer Josh Little (2-4) and Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain (2-14) then wrecked Strikers’ top order before Pollard and Thompson tried to regroup in a fifth wicket partnership.
By the time Pollard limped off after thumping a four and two sixes, the required run rate had climbed out of control, allowing Gladiators to comfortably close out the contest. Pooran finished the tournament as the leading batsman with 345 runs at an average of 49.
