Dubai Exiles Cricket Club got their 2021 Dubai Super League (DSL 9) cricket season off to a winning start his weekend with a 6 wicket win over Desert Kings Cricket Club. With an early 7.30am start the Exiles were first to field in what would become an extremely hot morning in the Dubai sunshine.
Naren ‘Nick’ Vish opened the Exiles bowling attack
Anshu Gopal took one wicket for 18 runs
Celebrations after the fall of the fist wicket
The first Desert Kings‘ wicket fell to Anshu Gopal, caught by Bhavik Thakkar, Desert Kings‘ Aashish had faced 5 balls and scored one run when he thumped the ball straight to the Exiles‘ fielder. 26 for 1. The second wicket wasn’t long to follow, other 2 runs on the scoreboard and Shreehari Narayanan was on his way back to the pavilion, lbw by ‘Nick’ Vish. 28 for 2.
Opener Jasleen Anand was making a decent fist of things. He’s weathered a bit of a storm and seemed to be settled in for a decent score when he was run out on 27 off 24 balls. 41 for 3 and Desert Kings CC looked like they were in all sorts of trouble.
Crisis was, however, averted. Ramandeep Sharma and wicketkeeper Rajeev Dudeja did more than steady the ship for the Desert Kings. Ramandeep scoring 22 runs off 26 balls and Rajeev putting together a superb innings of 54 off 47. It was the fall of Rajeev Dudeja‘s wicket that opened the door for Dubai Exiles Cricket Club as they looked to ensure that the Desert Kings‘ total wasn’t an unreachable one. Ramandeep was clean bowled by Sairaj Raghavan and Rajeev Dudeja run out, again Sairaj Raghavan taking the wicket.
There was little resistance from the Desert Kings as wickets tumbled, only the efforts of Faraz, 19 off 16 before being bowled by Mitul Kapadia, served as any sort of obstacle. By the time the 25 overs had been depleted, the Desert Kings had posted a total of 153 and on a morning that was slowly heating up, it seemed like a total easily within reach.
Arjun Thaker appeals
The Exiles‘ reply took an early knock. Opener Vikram Nayak looked like he was getting ready to loosen his shoulders when he got underneath a delivery from Krish B and the catch was duly and gratefully collected by Ramandeep Sharma. Exiles 0 for 1. Next in for Exiles CC was Divjot Singh Arora, Divjot is not shy about swinging a bat and by the time he had been caught in the deep while chasing a six he’d added 34 runs off 28 balls, including 3 x fours and a six. Exiles were 52 for 3. Sairaj Raghavan having lost out to an lbw decision off the bowling of Krish B.
Divjot Singh hit a feisty 34 off 28 balls
Vikram Nayak sends one into orbit
Exiles‘ Captain Shayan Khiliji hit an unbeaten 50
When the Exiles Captain, Shayan Khiliji, came to the wicket just over 9 overs had been bowled and the task in hand looked relatively straight forward. Steady the ship, move the score along and hunt down the Desert Kings 154 target. Shayan set about the task with great patience and skill, initially partnered by Jawed Siddiqui who added 13 runs to the Exiles chase, Shayan would navigate himself and the Exiles scorecard to an unbeaten 50.
Bhavik Thakkar swats one away for a four
Bhavik Thakkar added his considerable talents to the run chase and some early boundaries pushed the scoreboard along to its inevitable conclusion. With just over 22 overs bowled Dubai Exiles Cricket Club had reached their target of 154 and posted their opening win in DSL 9.
Divjot Singh shares a joke
Dubai Exiles CC v Desert Kings CC
Dubai Super League (18th September 2021)
