ILT20 Season 3: All-round Gulf Giants Defeat ADKR, Near Playoff Qualification; MI Emirates Secure Spot

Abu Dhabi, Feb 2 (NationPress) The Gulf Giants bounced back to form with a stellar seven-wicket victory against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders during a Season 3 match of the ILT20 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Saturday. This triumph propels the Gulf Giants to the third position in the standings, significantly boosting their chances for playoff qualification. Meanwhile, the MI Emirates have also secured their place in the playoffs alongside the Desert Vipers.

Desperate for a win to stay in contention, the Gulf Giants showcased excellent bowling, restricting the Knight Riders to a mere 123 runs. In reply, they benefited from a remarkable 70-run partnership between Gerhard Erasmus and Tom Curran, complemented by some late hitting from Shimron Hetmyer to seal the win.

The Gulf Giants started strong in what seemed like an easy chase. However, David Willey created a stir with two wickets in consecutive balls, putting the opposition in a precarious situation. James Vince was bowled for seven, followed by Willey's LBW dismissal of Jordan Cox, giving the Knight Riders a glimmer of hope.

At the end of the Power-play, the Giants were at 27/2, just three runs ahead of their rivals. With disciplined bowling from Willey and Sunil Narine, the Giants could only manage 50/2 at the halfway mark.

However, it was only a matter of time before Erasmus and Curran found their rhythm, which kicked off in the 11th over, with Curran smashing Andre Russell for 17 runs in a single over.

This momentum shifted the match in the Giants’ favor as they collected 12 more runs off Terrance Hinds in the 13th over. The Giants, at 82/2, were now just needing a single run per ball from the remaining seven overs.

The 70-run partnership between Curran and Erasmus ended when Erasmus was caught off Jason Holder's bowling in the 15th over. Hetmyer joined Curran and quickly showcased his intent with a boundary. Narine, surprisingly, contributed four runs in extras as the Giants drew nearer to their target.

Hetmyer demonstrated his power-hitting by launching a massive six off Irbar Ahmad and subsequently struck the winning runs to conclude a remarkable seven-wicket victory for the Gulf Giants.

Earlier, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders had a rocky start, losing their openers, Kyle Mayers and Andries Gous, within the first three overs. Both managed just a single run, leaving the Knight Riders at a dismal 4/2. Roston Chase offered a brief respite, hitting a few boundaries to guide them to 24/2 by the end of the powerplay.

He fell soon after for 15 to Blessing Muzarabani, leading Willey to enter the game. The Englishman steadied the ship, forming a 29-run partnership with Joe Clarke for the fourth wicket. Runs were hard to come by, as the Knight Riders went four overs without a boundary, precariously placed at 55/3 after 12 overs when Clarke succumbed to Chris Jordan.

With the batting order shuffled, Russell's arrival seemed to shift the momentum. Willey struck two massive sixes, but his innings was cut short by Curran, who dismissed him for 15.

As the Knight Riders approached the final five overs at 80/5, they were in dire need of quick runs. Willey took charge, hitting a six off Mark Adair, but was dismissed shortly after making a crucial 41 off 29 deliveries.

Alishan Sharafu, who has been a standout performer for the Knight Riders this season, was tasked with guiding his team through the last overs. He began with a boundary, but the scoring slowed down, and the Knight Riders could only manage a modest total of 123.

Sunil Narine, captain of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, stated: “I believe they bowled excellently and capitalized on the conditions. We aimed to secure as many wickets as possible during the powerplay but struggled in the middle overs, which eased their chase. Jason Holder has been performing exceptionally well with both bat and ball. We are on the back foot but looking forward to the Mumbai-Sharjah game, hoping for the best.”

Player of the match, Dan Worrall, remarked: “Opening the bowling with Mark, we aimed to set a solid foundation. Our bowling group prides itself on diversity. We’re pleased to give ourselves a fighting chance and will be hopeful in the coming days.”

Brief scores:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 123-7 in 20 overs (David Willey 41, Alishan Sharafu 21 not out, Chris Jordan 2-20, Mark Adair 2-25) lost to Gulf Giants 124/3 in 17.5 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 47, Tom Curran 38 not out, Shimron Hetmyer 20 not out, David Willey 2-17) by seven wickets