Dubai: The Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), which previously been thwarted in its bid to introduce Twenty20 cricket due to a lack of pitches, has finally done it at the Zabeel Park ground.

With the objective to attract more UAE nationals into the game, the DCC brought in this latest form of the the sport with a match between Nationals Cricket Team and Air India.

Air India, made up of a few veteran players, piled up 175 runs in 20 overs.

Naeemudin Eslam top scored with a quick 52 while Piyush Maloo hit 45. Former UAE player Sayed Maqsood hit 31.

Nationals Cricket team could only muster 104 runs despite Rashid Khan's quick 50.

Meanwhile, in the Ajman Cricket Council-organised City Tower 25 overs tournament, Pac Men beat Al Borg by two wickets despite gifting 48 extras.

Al Borg scored 162 for eight, despite Zeeshan taking three wickets. Askar hit 52. Pac Men reached the target in 23 overs through useful contributions from Zeeshan, Khuram and Saud.

Zeeshan won the man-of- the-match award for his allround show.

Scoreboard

DCC Twenty20 Cup
Air India bt Nationals Cricket Team by 71 runs.
Air India 175 in 20 overs (Piyush Maloo 45, Naeemudin Eslam 52, Syed Maqsood 31) Nationals Cricket Team 104 (Rashid Khan 50) Man of the match: Naeemudin Eslam of Air India.

Ajman City Tower tournament
Pac Men beat Al Borg by two wkts.
Al Borg 162 for 8 (Askar 52, Shivraj 28, Zeeshan 3 for 22, Anmol 2 for 30). Pac Men 163 for 8 in 23 overs (Zeeshan 30, Khuram 35, Saud 31, Ubais 2 for 27, Feroz 2 for 48, Regi 2 for 38, Sameer 2 for 16). Man of the match : Zeeshan of Pac Men.