Needing 11 runs off the last over, Gulf Giants secured a 5-wicket victory over MI Emirates in the 24th match of the ILT20 at the Saeed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Earlier, Chris Jordan’s hat-trick with the help of Dominic Drakes, David Wise, and Rehan Ahmed saw MI bowled out for 139 in 19.5 overs. However, Shimron Hetmyer hit a last-ball six to ensure the Giants a place in the playoffs.
Chasing a moderate score, Gulf Giants opener Tom Banton scored 45 off 39 balls with five fours and a six to take the team closer to the target, but the heroics of the West Indian left-arm batsman turned the match in favor of the visitors.
Jordan took 3 for 12 and Dominic Drakes (2 for 21), David Wise (2 for 14) and Rehan Ahmed (2 for 27) set the stage for the win. But Gulf Giants batsmen batted cautiously while MI Emirates bowled hard without conceding anything until the exciting final over.
Gulf Giants won the toss and decided to bowl. MI Emirates opener Andre Fletcher was dismissed in the second ball of the first over by Dominic Drakes.
Ahmed’s 9th over proved costly when Nicholas Pooran, known for his big-hitting prowess, hit Wasim for one six and Pooran hit him for 2 for 21 from the over. M.I. Emirates scored 76 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. In the 12th over, when Wasim was out for 29 runs, a 61-run partnership for the third wicket ended.
Rehan Ahmed took Pooran’s prize wicket in the 13th over, forcing him to pull Hetmyer for 42 at deep mid-wicket. The task of accelerating the run fell on skipper Kieron Pollard and Najibullah Zadran, but Pollard was dismissed for 19 runs.
By the 15th over, the MI Emirates players, who were half out for 112 runs, lost a wicket in every over. MI Emirates managed only 18 runs and lost 5 wickets in the last 5 overs.
Chasing an achievable target, opener and skipper James Vince batted cautiously with Banton, scoring just 35 runs in the powerplay. After Vince’s wicket, Banton, partnered by Chris Lynn, was dismissed for 45, scoring freely.
Gerhard Erasmus led the scoreboard with Lynn. Gulf Giants needed just 38 runs from the last five overs but well-arranged wickets from the batsmen pulled them back, with Gulf Giants needing 17 runs off the last 11 balls.
Chris Jordan of the Giants said,
“We definitely want to be a lot more clinical in these kinds of games. But the most important thing is that we crossed the line. We always look at areas that we can get better. We’ll definitely focus on the fact that we qualified and that we had a good game against a good team.”
Meanwhile, MI Emirates’ Trent Boult said,
“The batting group would’ve hoped for 15-20 more runs. It’s a high-scoring ground. Credit to the Giants. All their seamers bowled nicely. They made us take tough options and the wickets kept falling.”
Brief scores:
MI Emirates 139 in 19.5 overs (Muhammad Waseem 29, Nicholas Pooran 42, Dominic Drakes 2 for 21, David Wiese 2 for 14, Chris Jordan 3 for 12, Rehan Ahmed 2 for 27)
Gulf Giants 143 for 5 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 45, James Vince 26, Chris Lynn 28, Gerhard Erasmus 20, Dwayne Bravo 2 for 32).
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