MGM post facile win over DHL to lift first NAS Cricket title

With all their big guns firing on the night, MGM cruised to a comfortable eight wicket win over DHL in the final of the NAS Cricket T10 Championship.

Salim Qudoos was MGM’s big star of the night, taking two crucial wickets first to help restrict DHL to 127 for 4, and then coming back to blast a 13-ball 32 (3x4s, 2x6s) to take MGM across the line with 1.2 overs to spare.

The fine all-round performance earned him the man of the match award. Qudoos was also adjudged the best bowler of the tournament for his nine wickets and his teammate, Mohammed Hassan picked up the best batsman award for his 157 runs in the tournament.

This was cricket’s first appearance in the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, which is organised under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, every year since 2013 in the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Hosted by DP World at Wombats Cricket Ground in Jebel Ali, the NAS Cricket Tournament was a success with 24 teams taking part and colourful crowds attending all matches.

“First of all, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for this wonderful community sports initiative, which is in its seventh year,” said Nabil Qayed, Director of HR at DP World, who presented the winners and runners-up with their medals and trophies at the presentation alongside Adil Yousif Albannay, Chairman of the NAS Sports Tournament’s Technical Committee.

“I would also like to thank all the officials responsible for organising this event and offer them my sincere appreciation for their efforts,” Qayed added.

“Cricket is very popular among the South Asian expatriates in the UAE and, as we celebrate the Year of Tolerance, we were delighted to see this sport become a part of the NAS Sports Tournament.

“The NAS Cricket tournament was a definite success. We have seen lively crowds all through the tournament, especially tonight for the final.

“The quality of the matches, I am told, has been really good and the feedback from all the players and officials has been very positive.

“They have been really happy to see cricket become a part of the NAS Sports Tournament and they are thankful to Sheikh Hamdan and our generous leadership, who are always striving to bring joy and happiness to the hearts of all the people in this country, people of all cultures and ethnicity.”

Haroon Ghaus, Director Wombats, also thanked Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and the organising team of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament for “their generous support and for including cricket in the NAS Sports Tournament in this Year of Tolerance”.

“NAS Cricket is a salute to the culture of tolerance and inclusivity in the country, and we are proud to be a part of the NAS Sports Tournament, a simply amazing event being held every year in the Holy Month of Ramadan,” Ghaus added.

“This [NAS Cricket] has been an excellent tournament in terms of the excitement it has generated. This tournament is not just about the amazing cricket that has been played, but also the excitement and the engagement of the crowds that have come to watch. It’s amazing… the engagement around the cricket has really surprised us and we thank the NAS Sports Tournament organising committee for their support and the amazing job they have done.

“We love how the tournament has worked out. It is worth all the sleepless nights we have had. Hopefully, cricket will now become an annual fixture of the NAS Sports Tournament.”

Fohood, Saudi Driving in final Defending champions Saudi Driving School, who won the title as Emirates Driving Institute 12 months ago, will defend their crown against Fohood Zabeel in the NAS Futsal Championship final on Friday at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.

In the semi-finals on Wednesday night, Fohood Zabeel defeated Dubai Police 8-6 in a thriller, while Saudi Driving School defeated Al Taher 5-3.