Dwayne Bravo’s three-wicket spell coupled with flamboyant innings from consistent opener Muhammad Wasim and skipper Kieron Pollard powered MI Emirates to the playoffs with an emphatic 18-run win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in DP’s 26th match. World ILT20 in Zayed Cricket Friday Night Stadium.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ winning run continued as they allowed MI Emirates to post 180 for 4 in 20 overs through some poor fielding and ineffective bowling. Dropping Wasim thrice, he allowed the high-scoring UAE opener to flourish and scored 60 off 43 balls with six sixes and a four. Captain Kieron Pollard played an inning of 43 runs in 17 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes.
Read also: After jibe at Virat Kohli, Pakistani cricketer now targets Umran Malik
Chasing the target, Abu Dhabi were bowled out for 162 in 19.2 overs, with Dwayne Bravo’s 37, supported by Imran Tahir (2 for 20) and Zahoor Khan (2 for 33) Took 3 wickets by giving. Andre Russell played a stormy inning of 42 runs in 22 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders won the toss and chose bowling. Their opener and medium pacer Akil Hossein conceded just one run in the first over. Opener Andre Fletcher got his first boundary of the day off Marchant de Lange at the edge of the slips. Mohammad Wasim also hit a four on Hosen’s ball. He scored 29 runs during the powerplay. In the seventh over, captain Sunil Narine caught Fletcher for 22 and gave success.
Muhammad Wasim got a lifeline on 14 when Brandon King removed Russell at backward point. At the halfway stage, MI Emirates were 55 for 1, with Lorcan Tucker picking up the gap correctly. In the 13th over, Wasim hit Matiullah Khan for two consecutive sixes to collect 16 runs from the over. Tucker also hit Hossein for a six over long on.
Wasim then completed his half-century in 38 balls by hitting two consecutive sixes off Sabir Ali. After this Naren’s ball hit another six over square leg. He hit another six over mid-wicket in the same over and also avoided being caught at cover again.
Tucker, who took 23 balls to score 33, was retired to hasten the run flow. Nicholas Pooran came in his place at the crease but Wasim was clean bowled by Marchant de Lange on the first ball of the 16th over after scoring 60 runs.
Kieron Pollard joined Pooran and tried to accelerate the run flow. In the 18th over, Pollard hit two consecutive fours on Russell’s first and second balls. He hit the fourth ball for a six over long-on, then hit the fifth ball for a four and then hit the last ball for a six. Twenty-six runs came off that over.
Marchant de Lange was hit for a boundary over backward square while Pooran smashed him for a six over deep mid-wicket. Pollard hit a straight six over Sabir Ali, who bowled the last over, and then wicketkeeper Joe Clark fell for 43 on the next ball. Pooran and Pollard thus added 56 runs in just 25 balls. Pooran remained unbeaten on 10 as MI Emiratres scored 180 for 4.
Chasing the target, Abu Dhabi lost opener Paul Stirling on the second ball of the first over off Trent Boult for a duck by Pollard at mid-off. Boult also started with a wicket. Opener Brandon King, joined by Clarke, hit Boult for a six and two fours but in the fourth over, Imran Tahir was caught by Fletcher for 20 at deep midwicket.
Joe Clarke and Charith Aslanka took the score to 50 by the end of the powerplay. Tahir struck again on the third ball of the second over, trapping Aslanka who went for the sweep, missed and was trapped leg before for 17. Andre Russell came in and hit Tahir’s second ball for a six and then slammed Fazalhaq Farooqui. for another six.
Another champion bowler from MI Emirates, Dwayne Bravo clean bowled Joe Clarke for 22 runs in his first over. Abu Dhabi crossed the 100-run mark in 10.4 overs, with Russell hitting Bravo for two consecutive fours. UAE’s Zahoor ended Abu Dhabi’s challenge in the 13th over by scalping a valuable wicket at mid-wicket for 42 off Russell off Wasim.
Wickets started falling fast after Russell. This included Narine caught by Farooqui for 11, Hossein caught and bowled by Bravo for a duck, and Conor Esterhuizen caught by Fletcher at midwicket for 17 off Zahoor Khan. De Lange and Matiullah Khan stood firm but Bravo got Khan caught by Pollard. Over mid off for 2. Moesli bowled de Lange for 19 to dismiss Abu Dhabi.
Talking about his performance, MI Emirates head coach Shane Bond said, “We had a slow start but we have shown the ability to score runs at the back end. Kieron has been playing brilliantly. I thought 180 was a good score.” But we have to work on a few things in the bowling department.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate said, “He scored 55 runs in his first ten overs and then scored 125 runs in his last ten overs. If we had taken our chances, it could have been different. Good players shouldn’t be given a chance. It’s something we’re working on, but clearly it needs to be addressed going forward.”
MI Emirates organized the ‘MI Emirates Fan Carnival’ ahead of their final home game with Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, 3 February. The carnival was held in a well-supported arena, which saw a bustling atmosphere as a host of children and their families, played games and a magician, face painters, clowns and more in full flow. Enjoyed watching the music band.
Sharjah Warriors will take on Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The Warriors will look to return three of their English stars Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan and captain Moeen Ali as they look to confirm a playoff spot in their last two league games.
short number
MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 18 runs. MI Emirates 180/4 (Andre Fletcher 22, Muhammad Wasim 60, Lorcan Tucker 33, Kieron Pollard 43) Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 162 (Joe Clarke 22, Andre Russell 42, Imran Tahir 2/20, Zahoor Khan) 2 for 33 , Dwayne Bravo 3 for 37)
get the latest cricket news Here