MI Emirates secured a place in the final of the DP World ILT20 Season 4 with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. By limiting the Knight Riders to 120 runs for 8 wickets, MI Emirates effectively set the stage for a showdown against Desert Vipers on January 4 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Allah Ghazanfar stood out with impressive bowling, taking three wickets for 24 runs. Meanwhile, Alishan Sharafu top-scored for the Knight Riders with a determined half-century. In response, the duo of Tom Banton and Shakib Al Hasan formed a pivotal partnership, leading MI Emirates to a successful chase.
The chase began sluggishly for MI Emirates, as they lost Andre Fletcher early for just 5 runs. Ajay Kumar’s bowling created immediate pressure, and both Jason Holder and Sunil Narine continued to challenge the batsmen, resulting in a low score of 26 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.
After this shaky start, Banton and Muhammad Waseem combined to stabilize the innings, managing to take 10 runs off Olly Stone in the seventh over. However, the partnership was broken soon after when Waseem fell LBW to Narine, making way for Shakib to join Banton.
The strategy shifted significantly as Shakib accelerated the scoring rate, hitting a six and two fours in a pivotal 12th over. They reached a 50-run partnership in just 29 balls, demonstrating their dominance in the latter half of the innings. Banton reached his half-century, and with only eight runs needed from the last five overs, the chase looked comfortable.
Following Shakib’s dismissal, MI Emirates finished the game with 23 balls to spare, securing their second final appearance in four seasons.
Earlier, the bowling performance from MI Emirates was formidable. After a slow start, the Knight Riders struggled to find momentum, with only Alex Hales and Sharafu able to provide any resistance. Ghazanfar’s exceptional bowling ended Hales’ innings, and he followed up by taking two more wickets in consecutive balls during the innings climax.
Sharafu’s unbeaten 50 came off 40 balls, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Knight Riders past the target. The team ended their innings at 120 for 8, a total that ultimately proved inadequate against MI Emirates.
Post-match, Shakib reflected on the critical nature of the game, praising the bowlers for their performance and emphasizing the importance of steady batting. On the other hand, Knight Riders’ captain Jason Holder acknowledged the challenges but appreciated the team’s efforts throughout the tournament.
In summary, MI Emirates displayed a balanced combination of solid bowling and resilient batting to secure their place in the final, setting an exciting stage for the upcoming match against Desert Vipers.
Brief Scores
MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by seven wickets
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 120/8 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu 50, Alex Hales 29; Allah Ghazanfar 3 for 24, Muhammad Rohid 2 for 19)
MI Emirates: 120/3 in 16.1 overs (Tom Banton 62, Shakib Al Hasan 38; Ajay Kumar 2 for 13, Sunil Narine 1 for 20)
Player of the Match: Shakib Al Hasan