Author: SPORTSNAAMA

Abu Dhabi : (Sportsnaama Report):

Alishan Sharafu, Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers played defining roles for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, as they defeated the MI Emirates by 42 runs, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, on Friday evening, in Season 3 of DP World ILT20. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders moved to third place on the points table with the win, and Sharafu came away with the Player of the match award.
Batting first, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders had a slow start, and midway through the powerplay, they lost Kyle Mayers for 11 and Michael-Kyle Pepper for a duck, off consecutive deliveries to Alzarri Joseph. Andries Gous and Charith Asalanka then absorbed the pressure, and steadied the ship with a couple of very handy contributions.
The duo put on 41 runs together before Gous was caught behind for 27. That brought Alishan Sharafu to the middle, who along with Asalanka, started to set up the platform for a big finish. Asalanka, who hit three boundaries and a six, scored 32 and was dismissed by Zahoor Khan in the 12th over. From then on in, Sharafu and Roston Chase took charge, with the Emirati cricketer starting to go through the gears. Sharafu played some exquisite shots, whilst Chase kept the momentum going as well.
They put on a 72-run partnership from 39 deliveries, after which Chase retired for 20, bringing in the dangerous Andre Russell for the final two overs. Russell started off with a big six but was castled on the next delivery. At the other end though, Sharafu brought up his half-century and had Jason Holder for company. Sharafu continued his attack and finished with 55 to his name, whilst Holder added a quick 22 not out from seven deliveries, to help the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders reach 182/7 in their 20 overs.
The MI Emirates didn’t get the start they would have wanted as Kyle Mayers picked three quick wickets including those of Kusal Perera for nine and Nicholas Pooran for one. From the other end, David Willey dismissed Tom Banton for one, and the MI Emirates were in trouble at 36/4 in the sixth over. Muhammad Waseem, who was the fourth to depart, had scored 19, and smashed three sixes during his stay.
Dan Mousley and Kieron Pollard now had their task cut out, and the duo dropped anchor to rebuild. The fifth wicket partnership gave the MI Emirates 33 more before Mousley gloved it to the keeper, and had to walk back for 17. Pollard by now had settled in well, and had Romario Shepherd for company.
Under pressure, Pollard started to up the ante and teed off in the 17th over, when he smashed a six and three boundaries, raising hopes of a comeback. Shepherd though could not hang in there and became Holder’s second wicket of the evening, which further piled on the pressure on the MI Emirates. Pollard meanwhile had completed his half-century.
Pollard continued to look for the big hits in the final couple of overs, but it wasn’t to be for the MI Emirates, who came off second best. Pollard finished unbeaten on 69, having hit four boundaries and as many sixes.
Brief Scores
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat MI Emirates by 42 runs
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 182/7 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu – 55, Charith Asalanka – 32, Jason Holder – 22 not out, Alzarri Joseph – 3 for 32, Fazalhaq Farooqi – 1 for 27)
MI Emirates 140/6 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard – 69 not out, Muhammad Waseem – 19, Kyle Mayers – 3 for 25, Jason Holder – 2 for 28)
Player of the match: Alishan Sharafu

Abu Dhabi: (Sportsnaama Report)
The MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the ILT20 season as they rode on half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran to clinch a 26-run win against the Dubai Capitals in the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Shai Hope was the star of the match as he scored a magnificent century of 101 runs in 59 balls, but it went in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s over, where he picked up two wickets and conceded just three runs, turned the course of the game in favour of the MI Emirates.
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin as Akeal Hosein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over. Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but the chance went begging as Waqar Salamkheil dropped a sitter. Shai Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb as the MI Emirates sealed an emphatic victory.
Earlier in the evening, MI Emirates stuttered early on as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusala Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game. Tom Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates some much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with MI Emirates putting up 50/2, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways.
Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls. Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187-7.
Brief scores:
MI Emirates bt Dubai Capitals by 26 runs
MI Emirates 187-7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 74, Nicholas Pooran 59, Kieron Pollard 22, Gulbadin Naib 3 for 27)
Dubai Capitals 161-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 101, Brandon McMullen 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 22)

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Abu Dhabi,
The MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the ILT20 season as they rode on half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran to clinch a 26-run win against the Dubai Capitals in the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Shai Hope was the star of the match as he scored a magnificent century of 101 runs in 59 balls, but it went in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s over, where he picked up two wickets and conceded just three runs, turned the course of the game in favour of the MI Emirates.
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin as Akeal Hosein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over. Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but the chance went begging as Waqar Salamkheil dropped a sitter. Shai Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb as the MI Emirates sealed an emphatic victory.
Earlier in the evening, MI Emirates stuttered early on as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusala Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game. Tom Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates some much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with MI Emirates putting up 50/2, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways.
Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls. Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187-7.
Brief scores:
MI Emirates bt Dubai Capitals by 26 runs
MI Emirates 187-7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 74, Nicholas Pooran 59, Kieron Pollard 22, Gulbadin Naib 3 for 27)
Dubai Capitals 161-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 101, Brandon McMullen 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 22)