ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):
FORMER WEST Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite produced a stunning all-round performance while Brandon King lashed a pulsating half-century, but they experienced contrasting fates in the Abu Dhabi T10 on Friday.
In the second game of a doubleheader at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Brathwaite smashed an unbeaten 44 from 19 deliveries and then snatched four wickets in an 11-ball spell as he nearly single-handedly fired Chennai Braves to a 33-run victory over Bangla Tigers.
Earlier, King, a member of the West Indies’ failed campaign at the recent T20 World Cup in Australia, punched a 27-ball unbeaten 64 but Team Abu Dhabi could only tie the contest with Keemo Paul’s Delhi Bulls.
The Tigers are third from the bottom of the eight-team league on two points. Bulls are fourth on three points, Deccan Gladiators are second with four points, while Team Abu Dhabi are fifth with three.
Choosing to bat first, Braves gathered 126 for six from their 10 overs, thanks to Brathwaite who blasted four fours and three sixes as he held the innings together.
Opener Dawid Malan provided the early impetus with 27 from 15 balls with four fours and a six.
EARLY WICKETS
In reply, Evin Lewis was one of two early wickets – bowled by Englishman Olly Stone for four – as Tigers slumped to 10 for two in the second over.
Iftikhar Ahmed top-scored with a 20-ball 49 with two fours and five sixes, helping to add 35 for the third wicket with Colin Munro (15) before the innings crashed to 93 all out in the final over.
Brathwaite was at the heart of the decline, grabbing a brace of wickets in each of his overs to emerge with Man-of-the-Match honours.
King starred in the first game, lashing five fours and four sixes batting at number four as he pulled Team Abi Dhabi around from 19 for two in the third over and fired them to 120 for two, in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 101 with Englishman James Vince (26).
In reply, Bulls kept the game close and, when Paul, who smashed two sixes in 16, perished at the end of the penultimate over, 13 runs were still required for victory.
Imad Wasim, who belted 21 not out from nine balls with two fours and a six, nearly got them over the line.