Watch Video; Shimron Hetmyer takes Gulf Giants home in high-scoring thriller in ILT20

Alex Hales’ 57-ball 99 went in vain as Gulf Giants’ overhauled Desert Vipers’s total of 195 for 4 with 3 balls to spare to continue their winning streak in the inaugural ILT20.

Chris Lynn (42-ball 71) and Shimron Hetmyer (35-ball 70) struck breezy half-centuries to help the table toppers to secure a five-wicket win.

Put in to bat, Vipers made a strong start courtesy Hales and Rohan Mustafa, who put on a 72-run stand in only 6.4 overs before the latter fell. Nonetheless, Hales continued the carnage in the company of Colin Munro, who struck a 23-ball 39.

Hales was especially severe against Chris Jordan and carted the pacer for three boundaries and a six in his opening over. Jordan eventually dismissed the opener, caught at deep cover one short of his century, but ended up conceding 45 runs from his four-over spell, which included a late assault by Sherfane Rutherford.

However, it was leggie Rehan Ahmed who proved to be the costliest of the lot, conceding 52 runs.

In response, Gulf Giants were left tottering early. After losing James Vince in the first over, Lynn took the attack to Giants. However, in the space of five balls, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga struck to send back Tom Banton and Rehan Ahmed cheaply. Reduced to 30 for 3 in only 4.1 overs, Lynn and Hetmyer joined forces to revive Giants’ chase.

Hetmyer got going by hammering Hasaranga for three successive sixes in the seventh over, soon after Lynn was dropped on 23.

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The southpaw didn’t hold back against Ben Howell either, thanking him for a couple of sixes in the ninth over to keep Giants’ scoring rate at par.

Lynn then launched a similar attack on Hasaranga, carting the spinner for two sixes and a boundary. The duo combined to add 117 runs in only 9.2 overs.

Even once they departed in a space of four overs, David Wiese (19-ball 22*) and Liam Dawson (9-ball 16*) guided the side over the line.

Brief Scores: Desert Vipers 195/4 in 20 overs (Alex Hales 99, Colin Munro 39; Richard Gleeson 1-19) lost to Gulf Giants 196/5 in 19.3 overs (Chris Lynn 71, Shimron Hetmyer 70; Sheldon Cottrell 2-24) by 5 wickets