ABU DHABI: Chennai Braves’ skipper Charith Asalanka’s half-century went in vain as a combined bowling effort by Bangla Tigers led them to victory by 27 runs in the Abu Dhabi T10 League match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Chennai Braves opted to field first and reduced Bangla Tigers to 29-2 inside four overs after Robin Uthappa’s cameo of 20 runs from 14 balls.
Mohammad Nabi dismissed Avishka Fernando in the next over to further halt the Tigers’ recovery.
However, the Sri Lankan duo of Kusal Mendis and Dasun Shanaka then raised a quick-fire partnership of 52 runs from 24 balls to raise the team’s total to 99 in the ninth over.
Nabi struck again as he removed both set batters in the same over before Benny Howell struck 16 off 3 in the last over to drag the team’s total to 126-5 in their ten overs.
Shanaka top-scored with 34 runs from 15 balls with the help of three boundaries and two sixes, while Mendis scored 32 off 15, featuring two boundaries and as many sixes.
Nabi was the pick of the bowlers with bowling figures of 3-15.
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While chasing a mammoth 128, Chennai Braves lost early wickets and slipped to 35-4 in the fifth over as Haider Ali dismissed Kobe Herft and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in the same over.
Braves’ skipper Charith Asalanka waged a lone war from his end but could not find enough support from the other end.
Asalanka played a valiant 55-run knock from 26 balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes before getting out on the penultimate ball.
Vriitya Aravind was the only other batter to reach double figures with an unbeaten 12 runs from six balls.
Bangla Tigers bowlers restricted Chennai Braves to score 99-6 with Haider Ali leading the bowling charts with 2-17.