ILT20 Season 3: Resilient Gulf Giants Overcome MI Emirates in a Thrilling Finish

Abu Dhabi, Jan 26 (NationPress) The Gulf Giants had to summon their inner strength and they did so remarkably, clinching a victory against the MI Emirates by two wickets in a thrilling encounter during Season 3 of the ILT20 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Saturday. At one point, the Gulf Giants seemed to be in a precarious situation, but their lower order displayed remarkable composure to steer the team to victory against the MI Emirates. This win elevates the Gulf Giants to fifth place on the points table.

After being asked to bat first, the MI Emirates struggled initially, losing openers Kusal Perera for four and Muhammad Waseem for twelve, both falling to Daniel Worrall during the powerplay. The in-form Tom Banton stepped up to stabilize the innings, seeking support from his captain.

Unfortunately, Nicholas Pooran could only contribute eight runs, and Dan Mousley added five before both were dismissed, leaving the MI Emirates in a challenging position at 57/4. Banton then found a partner in Kieron Pollard, and together they worked hard to keep the score ticking despite the difficulty in scoring big hits. Banton reached his fifty in the 15th over, and in the following over, Pollard took Aayan Khan to task, hammering three sixes in a 21-run over.

However, the 17th over saw Banton departing after scoring 56, ending a vital 66-run partnership. The MI Emirates needed a solid finish, and along with Pollard, who notched up 34, Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd contributed some valuable runs. Hosein finished not out on 20, while Shepherd remained unbeaten on eight, leading the MI Emirates to a total of 151/6 in their allotted overs. Notably, Banton's half-century made him the leading run-scorer in the tournament.

The Gulf Giants faced difficulties at the beginning too, with captain James Vince dismissed for just one run. Shortly after, Jordan Cox fell for nine, leaving the Gulf Giants at 20/2 in the fourth over. Tom Alsop and Gerhard Erasmus then took it upon themselves to rebuild, avoiding risky shots and forming a solid half-century partnership. Their third-wicket collaboration yielded 65 runs, putting the Giants back in contention.

Alsop eventually departed for 32, followed closely by Erasmus for 37. For the MI Emirates, Muhammad Rohid Khan and Alzarri Joseph were instrumental with the ball. Shimron Hetmyer and Ibrahim Zadran attempted to accelerate the scoring, but Joseph dismissed the West Indian for seven, piling on the pressure for the Gulf Giants.

Fazalhaq Farooqi then took out Zadran for 11, but Tom Curran was holding strong for the Giants, who had four wickets remaining. Curran and Mark Adair hit some crucial boundaries, bringing the Giants within 17 runs of the target with two overs left. Farooqi dismissed Adair for 15 in the 19th over, and then Aayan Khan combined with Curran and Muhammad Zuhaib to secure a sensational win off the last ball. Aayan, who scored an unbeaten 11 from six deliveries, played a crucial role in clinching the victory.

The player of the match, Mark Adair, stated, “It was just about getting the basics right again. Tom Curran came in and shared his experience, which was invaluable in those key moments.” MI Emirates’ captain Nicholas Pooran remarked, “It was a tough match today; we lacked discipline and paid the price as a team.”

Brief scores:

MI Emirates 151/6 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 56, Kieron Pollard 34, Daniel Worral 2-19, Mark Adair 1-24) lost to Gulf Giants 152/8 in 20 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 37, Tom Alsop 32, Fazalhaq Farooqi 3-34, Muhammad Rohid Khan 2-15)