Medium pacer David Wiese’s deadly spell of 5 for 20 bowled out Sharjah Warriors for 107 runs in 18.3 overs and helped Gulf Giants record an emphatic seven-wicket in the 30th match of the DP World ILT20 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday night. Sharjah Warriors’ defeat resulted in them being knocked out of the tournament as they finished fifth with seven points. Gulf Giants who recorded three consecutive victories finished on top of the table with 16 points. Dubai Capitals, whose fate depended on the result of this match, now make it to the playoffs with nine points.
Desert Vipers who finished second will take on table toppers Gulf Giants in the first qualifier on February 8 at the Dubai International Stadium while Dubai Capitals will meet MI Emirates in the eliminator on February 9 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Gulf Giants won the toss and elected to bowl. Sharjah Warriors opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit the fifth ball of the first over from Dominic Drakes for the first six of the match but he fell to the first ball of the third over from Sanchit Sharma. Gurbaz pulled Sharma to Tom Helm at mid-wicket for 7. Opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore picked two boundaries off Sharma and then went on to smash Helm for two boundaries, a six and a boundary off four successive balls but fell to the fifth ball to a breath-taking tumbling catch by skipper James Vince at mid-off for 32.
Skipper Moeen Ali lasted just four balls to score one run when he mistimed a pull off Carlos Brathwaite. Drakes ran in and dived forward at deep square leg for another superb catch. However, Drakes injured himself while taking the catch. Liam Dawson came in as the concussion replacement following approval from the match referee.
Marcus Stoinis hit the first ball he faced for a boundary through extra cover. At the end of powerplay, Sharjah Warriors were 48 for 3. In the eighth over, Evin Lewis, playing across to Wiese, got trapped leg before for 3. At the halfway mark, Sharjah Warriors were 65 for 4. The 11th over from Wiese pushed Sharjah into deep trouble. He had Joe Denly clean bowled for 3 with a ball that kept low. Two balls later, he trapped Stoinis leg before for 17. With the last ball of that over, he had Chris Woakes with a lifting delivery that touched the handle of the bat and landed in the hands of Qais Ahmed at point for a duck.
Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad added 29 runs for eighth wicket, the biggest partnership of the innings, before Noor got run out by a quick pick up and throw from Helm to wicketkeeper Banton for 10. Nabi became Wiese’s fifth victim getting trapped leg before for 21. Brathwaite picked the last wicket of Junaid Siddique caught by Colin de Grandhomme at mid-off for 8. The Sharjah innings thus folded up in 18.3 overs.
Chasing a target of 108 in 120 balls, Gulf Giants openers Banton and Vince scored steadily. Banton escaped being caught at eight off a thick leading edge to mid-wicket. Kohler-Cadmore ran and dived but the ball did not stick on. However, in the fifth over, Stoinis had Banton clean bowled for 11. At the end of the powerplay, Gulf Giants were 36 for 1.
Vince and De Grandhomme took the score to 60 for 1 by the halfway mark, needing another 48 runs in 60 deliveries. De Grandhomme hit Stoinis effortlessly over long-on for a six. The pair put on 50 runs from 47 balls for the second wicket when Junaid Siddique got De Grandhomme to hit to Lewis at deep square leg for 35. Siddique also clean bowled Vince for 27 with the last ball of that over.
UAE’s 17-year-old youngster Aayan Khan was joined by Gerhard Erasmus when 24 runs were needed from 42 balls. Muhammad Jawadullah bowled a tight 14th over giving away just three runs. Siddique, who bowled the 15th over, was slashed by Erasmus to third man boundary. Aayan Khan took Gulf Giants to the target through a slog sweep off Nabi to mid-wicket for a six and remain unbeaten on 14 with Erasmus unconquered on 10.
Speaking about their performance, Gulf Giants’ Colin de Grandhomme said, “The boys played well today. It’s nice to get a win leading into the playoffs. The bowlers led the way and made it easier for the batters. David Wiese has been good for us throughout the whole tournament and today he showed how good he is. Finishing at the top of the table gives us confidence before the playoffs.”
Meanwhile, Sharjah Warriors’ captain Moeen Ali said, “Our fate was in our own hands, but we just couldn’t do it. I thought our batting wasn’t great throughout the tournament, apart from Tom Kohler-Cadmore and a couple of other innings. We just didn’t click as a unit. I thought we were good in the bowling department most of the time.”
Brief scores:
Gulf Giants bt Sharjah Warriors by 7 wkts. Sharjah Warriors 107 in 18.3 overs (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 32, Mohammad Nabi 21, Carlos Brathwaite 2 for 15, David Wiese 5 for 20) Gulf Giants 108 for 3 in 16.3 overs (James Vince 27, Colin De Grandhomme 35, Junaid Siddique 2 for 27)
Player of the Match ($1500): Dasun Shanaka
DP World smart delivery of the day ($1500): David Wiese to Chris Woakes
Fairplay News biggest hit of the match ($1500): Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s six of 106 mts.
Skyexch.Net Super 4s of the match ($1500): Tom Kohler-Cadmore (6 boundaries)
Sportsbuzz 11 Buzzmaker of the match ($1500): David Wiese for scoring 149 fantasy points
Green Belt Holder: Alex Hales
White Belt Holder: David Wiese
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