DPL: Gafoor bags five as NMC register big win

Asif Gafoor claimed five wickets as NMC recorded a seven-wicket victory over Red Flower Tourism in the Desert Premier League Season 3 at the Fairground Oval in Dubai Academic City.

The tournament is held under auspices of Dubai Cricket Council.

In the other matches, Fly Emirates defeated TNS by four wickets while SKT Bridge Freight Solution beat Jonsons Controls by 79 runs.

Asked to bat first, Red Flower Tourism lost five wickets cheaply in the first eight overs. None of the top five batsmen crossed the single digit mark.

Gafoor who till then had accounted for just one wicket ran through the lower order to add another four to his tally to ensure Red Flowers Tourism were wrapped up for a meagre 96 in the final over.

Needing a small total to register their first win, opener Indika Sampath smashed 73 from just 34 deliveries including six fours and seven sixes while Shabaz Ahmad chipped in with a 23-ball 15 to ensure NMC achieved the target in only 11.2 overs.

In the second match, Krishna Chandran (47, 38b, 2x4, 2x6) and Bilal Cheema (42 not out, 31b, 1x4, 1x6) played crucial knocks to help Fly Emirates chase down a target of 155 in 18.3 overs set by TNS.

Earlier choosing to bat first, TNS powered to a fine 154, thanks to superb knocks from Rashid Ali (53), Farooq Muhammad (35) and Isham Ghouse (22).

In the third match, Sky Bridge Freight Solution posted 178 for nine in 20 overs. While Sami Ullah and Omer Khan scored an identical 28, Jay Joshi chipped in with 22 and Mohd Tariq remained unbeaten on 24.

Chasing a challenging total, Jonson Controls were shot out for a paltry 79 in 15.3 overs.

Brief scores:

NMC bt Red Flowers Tourism by 7 wickets: Red Flower Tourism 96 all out in 19.1 overs (Azeem Ashraf 32, Imran Muneer 26; Asif Gafoor 5-19, Hussain Irshad 2-18). NMC 98-3 in 11.2 overs (Indika Sampath 73 not out, Shabaz Ahmad 15 not out). Man of the match: Asif Gafoor.

Fly Emirates bt TNS by 4 wickets: TNS 154-6 in 20 overs (Rashid Ali 53, Farooq Muhammad 35, Sharukh Sheikh 16, Isham Ghouse 22; Shadeep Silva 2-13). Fly Emirates 157-6 in 18.3 overs (Ahmed Nizam 29, Krishna Chandran 47, Bilal Cheema 42 not out; Waseem Anwar 2-22, Sharukh Sheikh 2-28).

SKT Bridge Freight Solution bt Jonsons Controls by 79 runs: SKT Bridge Freight Solution 178 all out in 19.3 overs (Khalid Shah 10, Sami Ullah 28, Omer Khan 28, Jay Joshi 22, Habib Ullah 17, Mohd Tariq 24 not out; Nilesh Waingankar 4-26, Prageeth Asanga 2-36, Srawar Alam 2-25). Jonsons Controls 79 all out in 15.3 overs (Prageeth Asanga 12, Mudassar Ali 11, Jovin Mathew 14, Nilesh Waingankar 20; Zaeem Ul Haq 3-17, Omer Khan 2-17)

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