SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Power-hitters Rovman Powell and Andre Russell both played electrifying innings to help the Northern Warriors capture their first T10 league title with a 22-run victory over Pakhtoons here yesterday.
Powell smashed a sensational unbeaten 61 from just 25 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes and Russell blazed 38 from 12 deliveries to help the Daren Sammy led Warriors to 140 for three from their 10 overs.
Andre Fletcher then topscored with 37 from 18 balls, but Pakhtoons fell woefully short as they could only muster 118 for seven off their 10 overs.
It was sweet revenge for the Warriors, who were beaten by Pakhtoons in the first eliminator and made to defeat the Bengal Tigers in the final qualifying match.
With their top five batsmen all West Indies players, Pakhtoons snagged the early wickets of Lendl Simmons (5) and Nicholas Pooran who made 18. But Powell and Russell launched a furious attack against Pakhtoons’ bowlers, with Russell being especially savage on Liam Dawson. He bludgeoned the all-rounder to all parts of the ground in the sixth over which yielded 27 runs.
The pair put on 62 runs in three overs to help carry the score past 100. And even when Russell was eventually dismissed by Shahid Afridi with the score on 102 in the seventh over, Sammy along with Powell ensured that the Warriors ended on a high note.
Needing to make the highest successful run chase in the T10 league’s two seasons, Fletcher’s knock propelled Pakhtoon to 62 for one after five overs.
But once he lost his wicket to Chris Green – who bowled two sensational overs for just 11 runs – the Warriors eased to victory with only Shahid Afridi’s knock of 17 from seven balls, providing any real fireworks thereafter.
