Abu Dhabi T10: Overton's breezy knock help Team Abu Dhabi to register their first win

Abu Dhabi [UAE], January 31 (ANI): Team Abu Dhabi's Jamie Overton scored a quickfire 38 off just 11 balls to help his side snatch the match away from Pune Devils in the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Overton, accelerated the run chase when it was most needed and helped Team Abu Dhabi record their first victory of the season with nine balls to spare.
Pune looked like sailing towards another victory after their opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore had hit an unbeaten 61 off 25 balls with five boundaries and five sixes and had helped their team post an impressive 129 for 4 in the ten overs.
Team Abu Dhabi had won the toss and followed the usual trend of opting to bowl first. Usman Shinwari, who opened the bowling for Team Abu Dhabi, let Tom Kohler-Cadmore get only one boundary in the over. In the second over, Cadmore hit Rohan Mustafa for three consecutive boundaries to launch his attacking innings. Obed McCoy struck with the first ball of the third over by clean bowling Kennar Lewis with an intelligent slower ball for 5. He gave just three runs in that over. Next man Chadwick Walton smashed Paul Stirling for a boundary and a six in the fourth over to pick 13 runs off the over.
Cadmore made full use of Tom Helm's fifth over hitting him for three consecutive sixes. At the halfway mark, Pune was well placed at 60 for 1. Mustafa was introduced again for the sixth over and Walton greeted him through a six over cover point. With the fourth ball, Mustafa had Walton caught by Chirs Gayle at short fine leg for 23. Next man Alex Davies picked a boundary off Mustafa by edging to the third man. McCoy produced another good over in the seventh over giving away just six runs and also dismissing Davies, caught behind, for 9.
Devon Thomas, who joined Cadmore hit Jamie Overton for two sixes, both earned through cut shots. Pune went past the 100 run mark in the ninth over bowled by Shinwari. Cadmore reached his half-century in 21 balls lifting Shinwari for a six. He continued his six-hitting spree by lifting Helm for a straight sixth in the last over and remained unbeaten on 61.
Chasing the target, Chris Gayle and Paul Stirling, two of the hardest hitters in the game, walked in. Mohammad Amir bowled a tight first over giving away just four runs. The second over from Munis Ansari saw Gayle hit an elegantly flicked six over mid-wicket. Stirling would have fallen at his score on six had Karan at deep mid-wicket not dropped him off Ansari. However, luck did not favour him again as Hardus Viljoen had him caught behind for 23 in the third over. Next man Joe Clarke began by hitting Viljoen for two successive boundaries.
Karan picked the prize wicket of Gayle in the fourth over, forcing him to play on to his wicket, for 9. UAE left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza clean bowled Wright, who went for a slog sweep, for 6 with the third ball of the fight over. Clarke continued his big-hitting by taking two boundaries off the last balls from Raza. Team Abu Dhabi needed another 59 runs from the last five overs. Ben Duckett accelerated the run flow by hitting skipper Nasir Hossain's first three deliveries for a boundary and two sixes to pick 19 runs off the over.
Viljoen, who was introduced for the seventh over, had Duckett caught and bowled for 20 with his second delivery and yorked Clarke with the third ball. Overton along with Zadran began to attack. Overton hit Amir for two boundaries in the eight over to pick 15 runs. Abu Dhabi needed 13 runs from the last two overs. Overton smashed Ansari's first delivery of the ninth over for a straight six to ensure the victory.
Brief scores: Pune Devils 129/4 (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 61*, Chadwick Walton 23, Obed McCoy 2-9); Team Abu Dhabi 130/5 (Jamie Overton 38*, Joe Clarke 29, Hardus Viljoen 3-36). (ANI)