UAE Bulls vs Yas Lions T10 2026: Fletcher 68, Bulls Win by 7
Published on November 7, 2026
Summary Overview: Defending champions UAE Bulls beat Yas Lions by 7 wickets with two balls to spare in the Abu Dhabi T10 2026 opener at Zayed Cricket Stadium. Andre Fletcher smashed 68 off 34 and Khawaja Nafay 35 off 17 to chase 121, after Karim Janat's 27 not out off 9 lifted the Lions to 120 for 3.
Who won? UAE Bulls, by 7 wickets with two balls to spare at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Yas Lions made 120 for 3 in their 10 overs, and the Bulls reached 121 for 3 in 9.4 overs.
Who starred? Wicketkeeper-batter Andre Fletcher smashed 68 off 34 balls, with eight fours and three sixes, and Khawaja Nafay hit three sixes in 35 off 17. The pair added 76 off 32 balls.
What about Yas Lions? James Vince made 32 off 19, and Karim Janat hit 27 not out off 9 balls, then took 2 for 10 with the ball. Captain Jason Holder hit two sixes in 14 not out off 5.
Why does it matter? The defending champions started the new-look Abu Dhabi T10 with a win, in the very first match of the 2026 tournament.
Match Report: The Champions Start With a Win
For readers new to the format: in T10 cricket, each team bats for just 10 overs (an over is six legal deliveries), so a whole match lasts about 90 minutes. With so few balls, batters attack from the very first over, and scores of 12 runs an over are normal.
Yas Lions' Innings: A Late Charge
UAE Bulls captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and chose to bowl. James Vince and Andries Gous (19 off 17) gave the Lions a solid start, adding 52 off 34 balls before Muhammad Rohid Khan had Gous caught by Romario Shepherd.
Mohammad Wasim Jr removed Vince for 32 off 19, and Shepherd had Dasun Shanaka (23 off 10) caught by Aneurin Donald. At 91 for 3 in the ninth over, the Lions needed a big finish, and they got one. Karim Janat hit two fours and two sixes in 27 not out off 9, and Jason Holder added two sixes in 14 not out off 5. The pair added 29 off 11 balls, and the Lions finished on 120 for 3.
UAE Bulls' Chase: Fletcher and Nafay Take Control
David Willey bowled Aneurin Donald (10 off 5) in the third over, but Andre Fletcher was already in full flow. The Bulls made 28 without loss in the first two overs.
Fletcher and Pakistan's Khawaja Nafay then took the game away, adding 76 off 32 balls. Nafay hit three sixes in 35 off 17 before Janat had him caught by Holder at 104 for 2 in the eighth over.
Fletcher hit eight fours and three sixes in his 68 off 34, and was bowled by Janat with the scores level, one run from victory. Shadab Khan and Romario Shepherd then finished the job with two balls to spare.
Turning Point: The Fletcher and Nafay Stand
The Bulls needed 12 runs an over from the start. Fletcher and Nafay scored at more than 14 an over during their stand of 76, so that even late wickets could not stop the champions.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
| Andre Fletcher (wk) | UAE Bulls | 68 (34), 8 fours, 3 sixes |
| Khawaja Nafay | UAE Bulls | 35 (17), 2 fours, 3 sixes |
| Muhammad Rohid Khan | UAE Bulls | 1 for 14 (2 overs) |
| Romario Shepherd | UAE Bulls | 1 for 14 (1 over), plus a catch |
| Karim Janat | Yas Lions | 27* (9), 2 fours, 2 sixes, and 2 for 10 (1.4 overs) |
| James Vince | Yas Lions | 32 (19), 3 fours, 1 six |
| Dasun Shanaka | Yas Lions | 23 (10), 3 fours, 1 six |
| Jason Holder (c) | Yas Lions | 14* (5), 2 sixes |
| David Willey | Yas Lions | 1 for 23 (2 overs) |
* not out
How the Game Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Vince and Gous opening stand | 52 off 34 balls |
| Shepherd removes Shanaka | 91 for 3 (8.1 overs) |
| Janat and Holder finish | 29* off 11 balls |
| Lions total | 120 for 3 (10 overs) |
| Bulls' fast start | 28 for 0 (2 overs) |
| Fletcher and Nafay stand | 76 off 32 balls for the 2nd wicket |
| Fletcher out with scores level | 120 for 3 (9.3 overs) |
| Bulls win | 121 for 3 (9.4 overs) |
First Two Overs
| Team | Score |
| Yas Lions | 18 for 0 |
| UAE Bulls | 28 for 0 |
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| UAE Bulls | Aneurin Donald, Khawaja Nafay, Andre Fletcher (wk), Shadab Khan, Kieron Pollard (c), Romario Shepherd, Sunil Narine, Tahir Zaman, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Rohid Khan |
| Yas Lions | James Vince, Tom Moores, Andries Gous (wk), Ansh Tandon, Dasun Shanaka, Jason Holder (c), David Willey, Karim Janat, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akeal Hosein, Khuzaima Tanveer |
What's Next
| Match | Date | Fixture | Local (GST) | UK (GMT) | PKT | IST | ET |
| 2 | Sat, Nov 7 | Emirates Eagles vs Royal Desert Champions | 5:45 PM | 1:45 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 8:45 AM |
| 3 | Sat, Nov 7 | United Tigers vs Arabian Aces | 8:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 11:00 AM |
| 4 | Sun, Nov 8 | Yas Lions vs Emirates Eagles | 3:30 PM | 11:30 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 6:30 AM |
| 5 | Sun, Nov 8 | UAE Bulls vs United Tigers | 5:45 PM | 1:45 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 8:45 AM |
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. GST is Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won UAE Bulls vs Yas Lions?
- UAE Bulls, by 7 wickets with two balls to spare.
How many did Andre Fletcher score?
- 68 off 34 balls, with eight fours and three sixes.
Who top-scored for Yas Lions?
- James Vince, with 32 off 19 balls.
What is T10 cricket?
- A format in which each team bats for just 10 overs, so a match lasts about 90 minutes.
When do UAE Bulls play next?
- Sunday, November 8, against United Tigers at 5:45 PM local time (7:15 PM IST, 6:45 PM PKT).
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 UAE Bulls Squad and Schedule for Abu Dhabi T10 2026
📋 Yas Lions Squad and Schedule for Abu Dhabi T10 2026