By Staff Reporter
In a battle of unbeaten sides, the Quetta Qavalry survived a dramatic final-over assault to beat the Deccan Gladiators by just one run in a gripping Abu Dhabi T10 encounter on Friday.
The top-of-the-table clash delivered everything it promised, culminating in a tense finish as Marcus Stoinis’ explosive late hitting brought the Gladiators within touching distance of victory. However, Qavalry held their nerve at the death, sealing a memorable win at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Qavalry Set Competitive Total
Sent in to bat, Quetta posted 112/3, built on brisk contributions from Evin Lewis (20 off 9), Liam Livingstone (20* off 12) and a fiery unbeaten 39 off 14 balls from Khawaja Nafay.
Despite tight bowling from Noor Ahmad (1/9) and Jordan Thompson (0/12), the Qavalry middle order ensured a defendable total in a match eventually decided by fine margins.
Stoinis’ Heroics Not Enough
Chasing 113, Deccan suffered an early blow when Nicholas Pooran departed in the opening over. Tom Kohler-Cadmore (15 off 9) and David Wiese (32 off 15) steadied the innings, but wickets from Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Jawadullah and Khawaja Nafay stalled the momentum.
Stoinis, however, kept the Gladiators alive with a powerful unbeaten 39 from 19 balls. With 22 needed off the final six deliveries, he launched a furious attack but was left with too much to do after a superb penultimate over from Khuzaima Tanveer, which cost just three runs.
Abbas Afridi then held his nerve in the last over, delivering a pinpoint full ball that Stoinis couldn’t dispatch, allowing Qavalry to escape with victory in a heart-stopping finish.
Titans and Bulls Triumph in Other Matches
In other fixtures, the Ajman Titans chased down 118 to defeat the Northern Warriors by six wickets, finishing on 119/4.
Meanwhile, the UAE Bulls edged the Royal Champs by four runs, successfully defending their 124/6 against a determined but ultimately unsuccessful chase of 120/5.
