The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 delivered another weekend of explosive batting, decisive bowling and colourful dressing-room stories, with United Tigers, Arabian Aces and UAE Bulls among the winners at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Joe Clarke produced one of the standout performances on Saturday, smashing 77 off just 26 balls as United Tigers defeated Royal Desert Champions by 19 runs. The Tigers posted 165/2, the second-highest total in Abu Dhabi T10 history, before restricting the Champions to 146/6.

Clarke struck 11 fours and four sixes, sharing a match-defining 118-run partnership with captain Fakhar Zaman, who finished unbeaten on 43. Azmatullah Omarzai added an unbeaten 15 as the Tigers finished strongly.

Nicholas Pooran kept the Champions in contention with an explosive 63 from 21 deliveries, including eight sixes, but Faheem Ashraf’s three-wicket haul for just 11 runs helped seal the result. Keemo Paul struck an unbeaten 28 late in the chase, but the target remained out of reach.

The Arabian Aces also enjoyed a convincing win, beating Emirates Eagles by 37 runs. Liam Livingstone smashed an unbeaten 55 from only 15 balls, while Andre Russell contributed 36 not out from 16 deliveries. Their unbroken 92-run stand from 30 balls lifted the Aces to 131/4 after they had slipped to 39/4.

American bowler Amshi de Silva then dismantled the Eagles’ top order, claiming four wickets for 18 runs. Chris Green made 33, but the Eagles were restricted to 94/8.

Defending champions UAE Bulls completed Saturday’s winning trio, beating Yas Lions by 26 runs. Max Bryant anchored the Bulls’ innings with 44 from 20 balls as they posted 117/7. Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan then claimed two wickets apiece, leaving the Lions at 91/4 despite contributions from Andries Gous (31) and Dasun Shanaka (29 not out).

Arthur faces familiar faces in the opposition dugout

Friday’s action offered a different kind of talking point when United Tigers defeated Emirates Eagles by 24 runs. The result brought Mickey Arthur face to face with several players he had coached during his time with Pakistan.

Arthur, who guided Pakistan to the 2017 Champions Trophy title, watched former players Fakhar Zaman and Faheem Ashraf turn out for the opposition. He admitted the familiarity had not helped his Eagles, but spoke warmly about the players he had coached.

“I’m still very, very partial to Pakistan,” Arthur said, reflecting on his time with the national side.

Faheem pointed to the Tigers’ shared history as a major strength, saying that players who had spent years together in domestic and international cricket understood each other’s games. He also recalled the Roti Gang, a group of friends that includes Fakhar, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali, formed during a tour of New Zealand.

The match itself turned on Azmatullah Omarzai’s extraordinary late assault. He smashed 33 from nine balls, hitting his first three deliveries for six, to help the Tigers reach 143/5. Alex Hales responded with an unbeaten 67, but the Eagles finished on 119/2.

King’s patience and the Moores family rule

There was also room for a more personal story after Royal Desert Champions beat Yas Lions by 39 runs on Friday.

Brandon King struck 66 from 28 balls to help the Champions post 136/4, while the Lions collapsed to 12/3 before finishing on 97/6. Tom Moores remained unbeaten on 40 from 21 balls.

King credited patience for his innings on a slow surface, while Moores praised the opposition’s performance and backed captain Jason Holder’s calm leadership. He also revealed Holder’s fondness for singing around the dressing room.

Away from the field, Moores spoke about his father, former England head coach Peter Moores, who is in Abu Dhabi as assistant coach of UAE Bulls. The pair have a family rule when their teams are on opposite sides: cricket is banned from Sunday lunch.

“My mum manages that one,” Moores said. “If we’re not on the same team, we don’t talk cricket. It’s family time.”

With big performances on the field and stories from inside the dressing rooms, the Abu Dhabi T10 continues to offer plenty beyond the boundary ropes.