Delhi Bulls displayed their batting strength to overcome Deccan Gladiators’ challenging score of 120 for 2 in 10 overs to win the third match of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium by nine wickets with nine balls to spare.

The architects of Delhi Bulls’ victory were Quinton De Kock, who carried his form from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, to remain unbeaten on 50 off 26 balls with three boundaries and four sixes. He put on 73 runs opening partnership with Johnson Charles, who smashed 36 off 13 balls with five boundaries and two sixes. Skipper Rovman Powell chipped in with 31 runs off 12 balls with five boundaries and a six.

Deccan Gladiators’ 120 for 2 in ten overs was carved out of Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s another fine knock. Fresh from his match winning unbeaten 68 runs in the opening match against New York Strikers, he hit 42 off 21 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.

His opening partner Andre Fletcher too scored 34 and together they set the stage for an impressive total with 64 runs opening partnership in 5.3 overs. It was difficult to imagine that such a total would turn out to be an easy target for the might Delhi Bulls.

Deccan Gladiators’ skipper Nicholas Pooran had won the toss and elected to bat. Pooran fielded an unchanged team that had beaten New York Strikers in their opening match.

The day’s action began with Kohler-Cadmore opening with Andre Fletcher. Afghanistan left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, opening the attack, gave away only three runs. The first ball of the second over from Lancashire right arm medium pacer Richard Gleeson was hit over long-off for the first six of the day by Fletcher.

Kohler-Cadmore hit two consecutive boundaries off Gleeson to take 17 runs off that over. The third over saw Kohler-Cadmore go for the big shots and hit two consecutive sixes off Pakistan right-arm pacer Muhammad Rohid from the first two deliveries.

The next two deliveries too were hit for boundaries. Twenty-one runs came off that over. Big hitting continued in the fourth over too with Naveen-Ul-Haq being greeted by Kohler-Cadmore with a six and a boundary off the first two balls. The 50-runs partnership came in 3.2 overs.

Then veteran pacer Dwayne Bravo was introduced for the fifth over. He gave away just two runs, and at the half way mark, Deccan Gladiators scored 58 for no loss.

Fletcher produced an elegant cover drive off Naveen Ul Haq’s first delivery of the sixth over. Naveen struck with the third ball by ending Kohler-Cadmore’s knock by having him caught by Usman Khan at the long-off boundary for 42. His knock off 21 balls had five boundaries and three sixes.

Skipper Pooran pulled the first ball he faced from Naveen for a six. The seventh over from Fazalhaq saw Powell pull off a spectacular save to a Fletcher’s shot aimed for a six. Powell leaped in the air, caught the ball and threw it back into the field.

This could not stop Pooran from flicking Fazalhaq for a six. Gleeson bowled a good eighth over giving away just two runs, but the effect of that was nullified in the ninth over with two towering sixes off Muhammad Rohid. The second six over mid-wicket sailed out of the ground. Fletcher got run out for 34 attempting a cheeky single to Rohid. His 20-ball knock had one boundary and three sixes.

Bravo was introduced for the last over but Andre Russell flicked the first ball for a boundary. He hit the next over the covers for a six. The third ball too was smashed for another six over deep square leg. Twenty-one runs were scored off that over and Deccan Gladiators posted an impressive 120 for 2 in 10 overs.

Needing to score at a run rate of 12 per over, Delhi Bulls opener Quinton de Kock and Johnson Charles began aggressively taking 11 runs off Trent Boult’s first over. Charles hit a boundary and a six off the fifth and sixth delivery. De Kock began by pulling Zahir Khan for a six and a boundary off the next. He slog swept the third ball for a six over mid-wicket cover drove the fourth four a boundary.

Thirty-two runs from the first two overs was the ideal start for a good chase. De Kock also hit Wasim over long-on for his third six. Charles punished Zahoor Khan hitting an effortless boundary over the covers. He also slashed him over the slip for another boundary. Their 50-runs partnership came in 3.3 overs. He scooped the fourth ball for yet another boundary. The fifth ball was hit over the deep point for a six and the last delivery too went racing to the third man boundary. Twenty-three runs came off that over. The onslaught resulted in only 54 runs being needed in 35 balls.

Although Luke Wood got steered for a boundary by De Kock, Wood struck back by yorking Charles for 36. His 13-ball knock had five boundaries and two sixes. Next man Rovman Powell took up the challenge and smashed Boult to the long on boundary and also hit him over gully for another four. The last two deliveries of that over too were hit for consecutive boundaries to take 17 runs off that over. So aggressive were the batters that only 23 runs were needed in the last 18 balls.

Delhi Bulls went past the 100 run mark in 7.2 overs. De Kock hit his fourth six off Imad Wasim and went on to reach his half century in 26 balls. Powell hit the winning shot – a six off Fabian Allen over long-on and won the match with nine balls to spare.