Deccan Gladiators crowned Abu Dhabi T10 champions for third time

ABU DHABI: Deccan Gladiators outplayed Morrisville Samp Army in all departments of the game to win an entertaining final by eight wickets and emerged as champions of the Abu Dhabi T10 for the third time here on Monday.

The Gladiators came up with a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Samp Army to 104/7 in 10 overs with Faf du Plessis blazing to a 23-ball 34. Chasing 105, the Gladiators unleashed some fireworks and gunned down the target by 8 wickets and with more than three overs to spare.

They were off to a flying start as their opener and England batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore took on skipper Rohan Mustafa in the very first over. Cadmore smashed four fours on the trot to begin the chase on a rousing note while his partner and skipper Nicholas Pooran joined the party soon.

Pooran, the West Indies white-ball expert, dominated Pakistan spinner Imad Wasim as Gladiators collected 20 runs in the third over and went past the 50-run mark. The left-handed batter was eventually dismissed for 28 off 10 by pacer Isuru Udana after Rohan Mustafa took a blinder in the deep but that didn't really help Samp Army as Cadmore continued with his aggressive batting display and notched up a fifty.

Earlier, Morrisville Samp Army never really got the start they wanted and lost wickets in regular succession to get reduced to 81/5. It was a late surge from Afghanistan's Karim Janat who chipped in with 16 off 8 in the final overs of the innings that took the total to 104/7 in 10 overs.

Faf du Plessis top-scored with 34 off 23 while wicket-keeper batter Andries Gous struck 21 off 9. England pacer Richard Gleeson returned with figures of 2/16 in two overs for Deccan Gladiators.

Deccan Gladiators have been crowned the champions of the Abu Dhabi T10 League for the third time.