NEW DELHI: UAE emerged victorious by just two runs in a nail-biting contest against Kuwait to claim their maiden ILT20 Gulf Cricket Championship title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The closely contested final kept the fans on edge until the very last over as UAE defended 153 against a spirited Kuwait side.
Opting to bat first, UAE began cautiously as openers Muhammad Waseem and Tanish Suri struggled to find momentum. Waseem fell early for 1, but Alishan Sharafu’s 28 off 17 balls, laced with three 4s and two 6s, provided the much-needed impetus.
Contributions from Tanish Suri (34 off 32) and Rahul Chopra (28 off 17) steadied the innings as the run rate gradually climbed.
However, Kuwait’s bowlers struck back at crucial moments. Yasin Patel and Sayed Monib were the standouts, claiming three wickets apiece, supported by Meet Bhavsar’s economical spell of 2/16.
In response, Kuwait endured an early collapse, losing two wickets within the opening two overs, courtesy of Junaid Siddique (1/42) and Dhruv Parashar (1/26).
Bhavsar, the only hope for Kuwait in the decisive hours, steadied the innings with a valiant 72 off 54, including six 4s and three 6s.
Despite losing partners regularly, Bhavsar, along with Yasin Patel (15 not out off 8), brought Kuwait tantalisingly close with a flurry of boundaries.
Patel’s big hits off consecutive deliveries in the penultimate over reduced the equation to 8 runs off the final over.
The last over, bowled by Muhammad Jawadullah, was a spectacle of cricketing drama.
A wide ball followed by a boundary from Bhavsar set Kuwait within striking distance. However, Jawadullah kept his composure, dismissing Bhavsar as the batter fell for a slower delivery and ended up giving away an easy catch to Nilansh Keswani.
With three runs needed from four balls, Jawadullah bowled Mohamed Shafeeq off his very first delivery, sealing UAE’s historic two-run victory.
While Meet Bhavsar’s heroic knock earned widespread admiration, he could not take Kuwait over the line when it mattered the most. On the other hand, Jawadullah (2/28) was instrumental in a nerve-wracking final sequence.
The victory thus not only crowned UAE champions but also left their growing prominence in the Gulf cricketing arena, capping a tournament filled with excitement and high-quality cricket.