Player of the Match, Andre Russell hits 46 off 18 balls and takes 3/12 as the Aces defend 92 in a low-scoring thriller
Photo by Vipin Pawar / CREIMAS
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Abu Dhabi, 13 November 2026: Andre Russell starred with bat and ball as the Arabian Aces beat the defending champions UAE Bulls by 8 runs in the 15th match of the ongoing 2026 Abu Dhabi T10. This was the Aces’ third win in five matches.
Photo by Vipin Pawar / CREIMAS
All images are restricted to editorial use only.
Batting first, the Aces were reduced to 29/6 in 5.3 overs. Muhammad Rohid (1/6) bowled Tom Kohler-Cadmore (0 off 1) off the first ball of the innings, and Mohammad Amir (2/23) then took two wickets in the second over, bowling Paul Walter (6 off 5) and trapping Alishan Sharafu (0 off 1) lbw on consecutive deliveries to leave the Aces at 12/3. Tahir Zaman (2/3) had Liam Livingstone (4 off 8) caught by Khawaja Nafay in the fourth over, and Romario Shepherd (3/21) had skipper Moeen Ali (3 off 8) caught by Nafay in the fifth. Tahir then bowled Sam Billings (10 off 8) in the sixth over.
Russell and Dwaine Pretorius (12 off 10) rebuilt with a match defining 60-run stand in 24 balls for the seventh wicket. Russell hit five fours and three sixes in his 46 off 18 balls. Shepherd returned in the final over to have Pretorius caught by Aneurin Donald and Russell caught by Sunil Narine as the Aces closed on 92/8.
Chasing a modest total of 93, the Bulls were pegged back by Russell (3/12), who had Donald (5 off 7) caught by Muhammad Arfan, Kieron Pollard (27 off 11) caught by Livingstone and Narine (0 off 1) caught by Kohler-Cadmore. Pretorius (2/11) removed Nafay (3 off 5), caught by Russell, and Shepherd (2 off 5), caught by Muhammad Arfan. Arfan (2/16) had Andre Fletcher (19 off 15) caught by Livingstone and Shadab (22 off 14) caught by Billings. The Bulls were 37/4 at one stage and they finished on 84/7 in 10 overs, 8 runs short of the target.
The win lifts the Aces to third on the points table with six points, level with second placed Yas Lions, while the Bulls remain at the bottom with one win in five matches.
Earlier today, the United Tigers beat the Emirates Eagles by 24 runs, while the Royal Desert Champions emphatically defeated the Yas Lions by a margin of 39 runs.
Brief scores
Arabian Aces beat UAE Bulls by 8 runs
Arabian Aces 92/8 in 10 overs (Andre Russell 46, Dwaine Pretorius 12, Sam Billings 10; Romario Shepherd 3/21, Tahir Zaman 2/3, Mohammad Amir 2/23)
UAE Bulls 84/7 in 10 overs (Kieron Pollard 27, Shadab 22, Andre Fletcher 19; Andre Russell 3/12, Dwaine Pretorius 2/11, Muhammad Arfan 2/16)