Warriors edge Stallions in last-ball nail-biter

Action continued at the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 as the Northern Warriors, looking to bounce back from their opening defeat, pulled off a narrow four-run win over newcomers Aspin Stallions, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

The Warriors posted 114/1, led by Johnson Charles’ composed knock of 55* (34). The Stallions’ chase began with intent through Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Avishka Fernando, but tight spells from Taskin Ahmed and a superb final over from Shahnawaz Dahani ensured the Warriors held their nerve.

The Warriors made a quiet start, with Hazratullah Zazai 8 (7) and Charles 55* (34) putting up just 11 runs before Zazai fell at the end of the second over to Binura Fernando.

Charles took charge immediately after, launching Zohair for a six and two fours in the third over to lift the Warriors to 32/1. Colin Munro 38* (21) joined in with a cleanly struck six in the following over. Harbhajan Singh managed to slow things briefly in the fifth, but Munro’s boundary kept the Warriors moving steadily to 65/1 after six overs.

Charles brought up his half-century in 29 balls, while Munro continued rotating strike and finding regular boundaries. The Stallions did well to squeeze in dot balls, but couldn’t break the stand. A quiet last over meant the Warriors couldn’t fully capitalise, though Munro’s late boundary brought up an excellent 102-run partnership off 55 balls, closing the innings at 114/1.

Chasing 115, Andre Fletcher 13 (6) set the tone with two early boundaries off Trent Boult, with Gurbaz 29 (11) joining the assault to take 21 off the first over. Taskin struck back by removing Fletcher, but Avishka Fernando 33 (20) seamlessly kept the tempo, striking a boundary off Taskin and a six off Boult. Gurbaz continued clearing the ropes as the Stallions raced to 48/1 after three overs.

Gurbaz attempted another big one but mistimed it, falling to a high catch taken by Thisara Perera, off Odean Smith. Dahani then tightened the screws with a miserly over, and Shamsi added to the pressure by dismissing Du Plooy 5 (5) and giving away just five runs, leaving the Stallions at 70/3 after six overs.

With 34 needed off the last three overs, Saif Hassan 15 (11) struck a six and a four to bring the chase back to life, but Taskin once again swung momentum, getting Fernando caught at the boundary. Sam Billings 12* (6) chipped in with two timely boundaries to reduce the equation to just eight required off the final over.

Dahani, entrusted with the last over, delivered brilliantly, conceding only two runs before removing Hassan at the boundary and then bowling Mills the very next ball. With five needed off the last delivery, Billings couldn’t get hold of Dahani’s pinpoint ball, sealing a tense, down-to-the-wire win for the Warriors.

Earlier, Gladiators register a 6-run win to open campaign against UAE Bulls on Tuesday. After posting a mammoth total of 141/2, Gladiators restricted Bulls to 135/5.

The first innings of the second match yesterday, between reigning champions Deccan Gladiators and the UAE Bulls, delivered its own share of fireworks. Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s explosive half-century (78* off 29), studded with seven sixes and six fours, powered the Gladiators to a mammoth 141/2.