Dan Lawrence and Carlos Brathwaite led The Chennai Braves brave march past Deccan Gladiator in the 18th match on the seventh day of the Abu Dhabi T10 at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Lawrence hit an 18-ball 40 runs with four boundaries and two sixes while Brathwaite smashed a seven-ball 27 runs with four sixes. The onslaught by this pair helped Chennai Braves record a six wicket win with three balls to spare.

Chennai had only one win before this match and had lost three matches while Gladiators had won three matches and lost only one.

Chennai Braves won the toss and opted to field. Deccan Gladiators’s aggressive openers Jason Roy and Tom Kohler-Cadmore began confidently. Kohler-Cadmore hit Sam Cook for a boundary off the third ball to mid-off and a six off the last ball to long off. Roy glided Olly Stone’s third delivery to the third man for a boundary.

In the third over, Roy picked two consecutive boundaries off James Fuller while Kohler-Cadmore completed the over with another boundary to third man. The boundary hitting continued in the fourth over too with Roy picking two boundaries off Stone. The 50 runs partnership came in 4.1 overs when Kohler-Cadmore hit Carlos Brathwaite through the hands of third man fielder. He also got another boundary through a fine cover drive, and at the half way mark Deccan Gladiators were in a commanding 62 for no loss.

When Chennai skipper Sikandar Raza introduced himself, Kohler-Cadmore hit him for a six to long-on. He also hit Brathwaite’s first delivery of the seventh over for a six to deep mid-wicket. Brathwaite ended the 79 runs partnership by getting Kohler-Cadmore caught by Stone at deep mid-wicket for 40. His knock off 19 balls had four boundaries and three sixes. Roy then brilliantly picked the gap at extra cover for another boundary off Brathwaite.  When Roy hit James Fuller to mid-off boundary, Deccan Gladiator were five runs short of the 100-run mark at the end of the eighth over.

Sam Cook bowled a tight ninth over giving just seven runs but Roy reached his half century with a boundary off him. Sikandar Raza struck with the first ball of the last over clean bowling Andre Russell for 4.  With the last ball he also had Nicholas Pooran caught  at long on for 1. Deccan Gladiators thus posted 108 for 3 in 10 overs with Roy unbeaten on 57 off 33 balls with nine boundaries.  

The Chennai Braves’s chase began through opener Dawid Malan elegantly pulling Josh Little for a boundary. Opener Dan Lawrence lifted Tom Helm’s first delivery of the second over effortlessly for a six over long on. He also hit the second delivery for another six over long off. He flicked the  fourth delivery for a boundary. With 23 for no loss in just two overs, David Wiese was introduced for the third over. Malan hit his first delivery to fine leg for a boundary.  Lawrence hit Wiese too to long leg for another boundary. With the last ball of the that over Wiese had Malan caught by Roy who took a running catch at long on for 10.

Sultan Ahmed’s first delivery was greeted by Lawrence with a boundary to long off. Brathwaite joined Lawrence and hit Andre Russell’s second delivery  to a mighty six to long-off. The third, fourth and fifth deliveries were hit for sixes and 28 runs taken off the over.  Zahoor Khan clean bowled Brathwaite for 27 with the second delivery of the sixth over. His knock off seven balls had four sixes which virtually put Chennai Braves on the driver’s seat to victory.

Sultan Ahmed struck in the seventh over to have Lawrence out caught by Russell at long on fence for 40. His knock off 18 balls had four boundaries and two sixes. Braves needed another 20 runs off the last three overs. Sikandar Raza and James Fuller made it 11 runs from last 12 deliveries. Josh Little gave away eight runs off the ninth over. With three runs needed off the last over, Helm clean bowled Fuller for 14 with the first ball of the last over. Whiteley took a single off the second ball. Helm bowled a wide off the third ball and Sikandar took the victory run off the next delivery over the wicketkeeper’s head while going for a flick shot.

Brief scores:
The Chennai Braves bt Deccan Gladiators by 6 wkts. Deccan Gladiators 108 for 3 in 10 overs (Jason Roy 57n.o, Tom Kohler Cadmore 40, Sikandar Raza 2 for 16) The Chennai Braves 109 for 4 in 9.3 overs (Dan Lawrence 40, Carlos Brathwaite 27)
Player of the Match: Dan Lawrence