The Chennai Braves registered their first victory in the Abu Dhabi T10 after defeating Northern Warriors by 10 wickets on Monday. After bowling out Northern Warriors for 108, The Chennai Braves openers Mohammad Shahzad and Bhanuka Rajapaksa raced to their target in 8.3 overs.
Rajapaksa played an innings of 55* runs from 23 balls, laced with 6 fours and 4 sixes, while Shahzad scored 54* runs from 29 balls. The Afghanistan player struck 9 fours and 2 sixes in his innings. Shahzad set the tone for The Chennai Braves when he smacked Abhimanyu Mithun for five boundaries in the second over. Rajapaksa also hit the big shots from the other end, smashing Oshane Thomas for two sixes and two fours in the eighth over.
The Northern Warriors couldn’t find a way to stop the run flow or pick up wickets as the The Chennai Braves openers took their team over the line in impeccable manner.
Earlier, The Chennai Braves put up a fantastic performance with the ball as they bowled out Northern Warriors for 108 in 9.5 overs. Curtis Campher, Dasun Shanaka and Ravi Bopara picked up two wickets each for The Chennai Braves. Campher set the tone for Chennai by trapping Kennar Lewis LBW on the very first delivery of the innings. Thereafter, Upul Tharanga and Moeen Ali strung a brilliant partnership of 55 runs. Tharanga played a quick-fire innings of 32 runs from 14 balls, while Ali scored 25 runs off 15 balls.
Following the departure of Tharanga and Ali, Captain Rovman Powell took on Roman Walker, smashing him for three sixes in the seventh over. However, Powell’s stay at the crease was ended when he was dismissed for 31 runs from 12 balls by Shanaka in the eighth over. Thereafter, the Northern Warriors kept losing wickets in regular intervals and eventually folded for 108.
Brief scores: The Chennai Braves 114/0 (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 55*, Mohammad Shahzad 54*, Umair Ali 0-11) beat Northern Warriors 108 all out (Upul Tharanga 32, Rovman Powell 31, Ravi Bopara 2-6) by 10 wickets.
