Chennai Braves won a nail-biting thriller defeating Team Abu Dhabi by four runs through Jason Roy’s elegant unbeaten 84 in the fourth match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Team Abu Dhabi restricted Chennai Braves to 115 for 4 in 10 overs despite Roy’s knock which came off 39 balls with seven sixes and six boundaries. Leus du Plooy, a 28-year-old England county player, hit an unbeaten 47 and along with Colin Ingram pulled Team Abu Dhabi close to victory. Tight spell of 13 runs from two overs and one wicket from Sam Cook upset Team Abu Dhabi’s hopes in this low scoring thriller. Team Abu Dhabi had won the toss and elected to field. Chennai Braves openers Jason Roy and Kobe Herft put on 40 runs in 3.6 overs. Roy reached his half century in 28 balls with two consecutive sixes off Pretorius. Next man Stephen Eskinazi hit straight into the hands of Raees off Pretorius for 4. Roy was at his aggressive best by hitting Mills for a boundary and two consecutive sixes to take 20 runs off the ninth over.

The tenth over saw Roy add two more boundaries of Raees and remain unbeaten on 84 and give Chennai a total of 115 for 4. Team Abu Dhabi’s chase began through openers Kyle Mayers and Alex Hales. Mayers began by picking a boundary and six off the first over from UAE’s left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan. Mayer hit Sam Cook for his second six to mid-wicket. With the fourth ball, Cook had Mayes caught by Roy at mid-on for 18. Sam Cook bowled a brilliant ninth over giving away just seven runs. This made it tough for Team Abu Dhabi having to score 22 from the last six balls. Ingram got a boundary off McCoy through the covers while Plooy hit a six over point and boundary to short fine leg to make it nine runs off two balls and five off the last ball. McCoy kept his cool and bowled a dot ball to Plooy and won the match by four runs.

Brief scores:
Chennai Braves bt Team Abu Dhabi by four runs.
Chennai Braves 115 for 4 in 10 overs (Jason Roy 84n.o, Dwaine Pretorius 2 for 21) Team Abu Dhabi 111 for 4 in 10 overs (Leus du Plooy 47n.o, Colin Ingram 20n.o)
Player of the Match: Jason Roy

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)