Rutherford’s 13-ball 40 powers Royal Desert Champions past UAE Bulls
Muhammad Waseem’s unbeaten 35 seal a six-wicket win despite Shadab Khan’s 3/15
Abu Dhabi, 11 November 2026: Sherfane Rutherford smashed 40 off 13 balls as the Royal Desert Champions chased down 124 to beat the UAE Bulls by six wickets with five balls to spare on Wednesday at the ongoing 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Chasing 124, the Champions raced to 31 on the back of Phil Salt’s 22 off 10, which included three sixes, before Shadab Khan struck twice in the third over. He trapped Brandon King (10 off 6) lbw with his first ball and bowled Salt with his last. Nuwan Thushara then had skipper Nicholas Pooran (2 off 3) caught behind by Andre Fletcher, as the Champions lost three wickets for three runs in seven balls to slip to 34/3.
Rutherford and Muhammad Waseem (35* off 18) turned the game with a stand of 74 in 25 balls. Rutherford hit five fours and three sixes before Shadab (3/15) had him caught by Khawaja Nafay, leaving the Champions needing 16 from 16 balls. Waseem and Gulbadin Naib (8* off 5) finished the job in the tenth over.
Batting first, the Bulls lost Aneurin Donald (8 off 5) in the opening over, stumped by Salt off Maheesh Theekshana. Khawaja Nafay (27 off 11) and Andre Fletcher (17 off 10) then added 44 in 21 balls. Gulbadin Naib broke the stand in the fifth over, having Nafay caught by Waseem and running out Fletcher off the very next ball.
Skipper Kieron Pollard (23 off 10) and Romario Shepherd (12 off 8) put on 31 in 15 balls before Chris Jordan had Pollard caught by Waseem, who also held on to Sunil Narine (10 off 6) off Keemo Paul for his third catch of the innings. Shadab Khan’s unbeaten 15 off seven balls took the Bulls to 123/7.
Brief scores
Royal Desert Champions beat UAE Bulls by 6 wickets
UAE Bulls 123/7 in 10 overs (Khawaja Nafay 27, Kieron Pollard 23, Andre Fletcher 17; Gulbadin Naib 1/11, Maheesh Theekshana 1/14, Keemo Paul 1/22)
Royal Desert Champions 124/4 in 9.1 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 40, Muhammad Waseem 35*, Phil Salt 22; Shadab Khan 3/15, Nuwan Thushara 1/27)
Ashik Islam
Special correspunted
Bangla Express UAE
