It was absolute mayhem at Sheikh Zayed Stadium as Bangla Tigers chased down the total of 91 in just 26 deliveries. Five of Chennai Braves' bowlers including India's World Cup-winner — Munaf Patel — to only bowler to take a double hat-trick in T20 World Cup — Curtis Campher — faced the wrath of Bangla batters as they hit nine sixes and seven fours to make short of a non-challenging total.
Afghan opener Hazratullah Zazai remained unbeaten for 34 off just nine deliveries including four fours and three sixes. Zazai's opening partner Johnson Charles took the aerial route more often hitting five sixes and one four in his 36-run knock of 12 balls. Interestingly, all the runs Zazai scored came from boundaries. The duo put the opening stand of 67 in just 3.1 overs. In the nine-wicket victory with 34 balls to spare, England's Will Jacks too dominated the bowlers with an unbeaten 14 off five deliveries.
Surprisingly, only two runs came in the form of singles taken by Charles while seven extras (two leg byes and five wides) were bowled by Braves’ bowlers. Rest of the runs were scored in the form of boundaries (82 out of 91 runs). For his unbelievable hitting and fearless knock, Charles was adjudged with the “Player of the Match” award.
While Munaf Patel went for 18 runs in the first over, Ireland's Curtis Campher — who took four wickets off consecutive deliveries in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2021 — went for as many as 26 runs in the only over he bowled. Caribbean bowler Mark Deyal was the only bowler who could take a wicket amidst the storm of fours and sixes. Another Caribbean bowler who bowled just two balls went for 10 runs as well.
Earlier, Chennai batters managed to post a total of 90 for the loss of six wickets in 10 overs. Despite the run rate of nine runs per over, 91-run target is considered mediocre in a T10 game. The openers did not get off to a great start during fielding restrictions as Ravi Bopara scored just two runs five deliveries and in-form Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored 10 runs off 11 deliveries. New-ball bowlers Luke Wood and James Faulkner kept a lid on boundaries during this period.
Wickets fell at regular intervals which prevented Braves from going past 100. Angelo Perera top-scored for them with 26 runs from 18 deliveries whereas Deyal's late hitting helped them post a respectable total. Deyal scored 15 runs off seven deliveries including two fours and one six. For Tigers, Benny Howell was the pick of the bowlers with took two wickets for 22 runs.
