Abu Dhabi T10 League: Mohammad Shahzad and Bhanuka Rajapaksa fifties fire The Chennai Braves to first win

Bhanuka Rajapaksa played an innings of 55 not out from 23 balls, laced with 6 fours and 4 sixes, while Mohammad Shahzad scored 54 not out from 29 balls.

The Chennai Braves opener Mohammad Shahzad en route to scoring a fifty against the Northern Warriors in their Abu Dhabi T10 League match.

The Chennai Braves registered their first victory in the Abu Dhabi T10 League after defeating Northern Warriors by 10 wickets on Monday (November 29). 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 not out from 23 balls, laced with 6 fours and 4 sixes, while Shahzad scored 54 not out 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.

How good was this guy today

Mohammad Shahzad is today's Dream11 MVP #AbuDhabiT10 #InAbuDhabi #CricketsFastestFormat pic.twitter.com/VSJSfvw9wc

— T10 League (@T10League) November 29, 2021

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 leg-before 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 not out, Mohammad Shahzad 54 not out) bt Northern Warriors 108 (Upul Tharanga 32, Rovman Powell 31; Ravi Bopara 2/6)