Mavericks Cricket Club outplay NBF to lift MFL-3 Trophy

Mavericks Cricket Club defeated National Bank of Fujairah by 45 runs in MFL-3 final.

The MFL-3 (Mavericks Friendly League) was organised by Mavericks Cricket Club in collaboration with Dubai Cricket Council.

NBF won the toss and decided to bowl first to take advantage of early morning moisture in the wicket.

Maverick openers Rumman and Junaid started the innings steadily without taking any risks.

Aruna gave NBF first break through in the 5th over when he removed Rumman with 27 runs on board.

Muhammad Junaid kept the scoreboard ticking from the other end and played a match win knock of 77 runs, which included 11 boundaries.

With contributions from Waqas Tariq 21, Khurram Shahzad 41 not out and Shahzad Farooq 22, Mavericks piled up 175 runs for lost of 5 wickets at the end of their allotted 25 overs.

Mufaddal Kuresh bagged 3 for 37.

Chasing seven an over in a pressure final was never going to be easy.

NBF's task became more difficult when they lost their opener Mohammed Liaz in the first over with only one run on board.

Shahzad Farooq struck again in fifth over to remove Ali Mohsin.

A below-par start from NBF only pushed the required-rate into the realms of the improbable, and Maverick bowlers who kept chipping away the wickets at regular intervals exploited it to the fullest.

NBF were restricted to 130 for 9 at the end of their innings. Shahzad Farooq, Waqas Tariq and Sudhir Vavilla bagged two wickets each for Mavericks.

Junaid was declared man of the match for his superb innings of 77 runs and two superb catches behind the stumps.

Khurram Shahzad of Mavericks Cricket Club was adjudged best batsman of MFL-3 for scoring 326 runs at an average of 81.5, which included three fifties and one century.

Farrukh Qadri of NBF got best bowler of MFL-3 award for picking up nine wickets at an average of 4.44.

Brief scores:

Mavericks CC (Muhammad Junaid 77, Khurram Shahzad 41 not out, Mufaddal Kuresh 3-37)

NBF (Noman Waheed 23, Farrukh Qadri 22, Shahzad Farooq 2-16, Sudhir Vavilla 2-5, Waqas Tariq 2-24)