MI Emirates and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders register easy wins

Sharjah: MI Emirates rode on Tom Banton’s unbeaten 102 off just 55 balls to set up a mega nine-wicket win against Sharjah Warriorz here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday in the ongoing DP World ILT20 Season 3.

In the other match, The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders clinched their second victory of the DP World ILT20 Season 3, defeating the Gulf Giants by 37 runs at a packed Dubai International Stadium on Sunday evening.

Making his maiden campaign for MI Emirates special, Tom Banton became the fourth century-maker in the history of the competition and only the second in this season after Shai Hope’s blistering century a week ago. While Hope’s century went in vain, Banton’s was a special one as it not only helped his team jump to the second position in the points table but this was also only the first century scored in the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the history of ILT20.

Banton’s blitz was well-supported by Kusal Perera who scored an unbeaten 56 off 42 balls, making light of the run chase, as they romped home to 177 in 17.4 overs. Banton brought about his ton with great authority, sending Dilshan Madushanka’s short ball over the deep square leg for a huge six. His incredible knock was studded with 10 boundaries and six biggies while Perera packed off six boundaries and sent one over it in his commanding unbeaten knock.

Put in to bat first, Sharjah Warriorz set up a total of 176/9 in 20 overs. MI Emirates left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was the cynosure of MI Emirates bowling attack, tormenting the Warriorz batting order with four wickets for 24 runs while Alzarri Joseph bagged two for 39 with Romario Sheperd and Waqar Salamkheil chipping in with a wicket each.

Player of the match, Tom Banton said, “In my first eight or nine balls, I was on zero. It’s funny how cricket works sometimes. It was a really good wicket. I struggled for 25 balls. I have a better understanding of my game than a few years ago. Nicky, Polly, Robin and everyone has been really good.”

Sharjah Warriors captain, Tim Southee said, “It wasn’t a bad score. We were reasonably happy with the score at the halfway stage. Avishka has been unbelievable in his first two games. Nice to see John at the other end but not taking wickets makes it hard. We weren’t able to take wickets and it does hurt to drop catches.”

Giants’ Aayan Afzal Khan’s shrewd four-wicket haul for just 16 runs set a new record for the best figures by a UAE player in DP World ILT20 history as the Knight Riders posted 176/9. Their innings was buoyed by Michael Pepper’s half-century as Ibrar Ahmad, Jason Holder and Ali Khan each bagged two wickets to keep the Giants at bay.

It was a tough outing for the Giants as they lost wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out for 139/8.

Player of the match, Michael Pepper said: “When I went in, when the ball was hard, it came on nicely. Not too much bounce in the wicket. Through the innings, it got slower and slower and started turning a little bit more. There is a lot of instinct that goes in, waiting for your areas and then going from there. We have a long batting order; everyone can hit it out of the ground, but it still must be the batters that score runs”

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain, Sunil Narine said: “We were always thinking two steps ahead and there were more hands on deck. We could have gone closer to 200 after our start. Losing wickets in clusters denied us and that is something we can work on moving ahead. Our batting depth, it is a good problem. You have players batting down the order who might be playing higher otherwise. The guys are willing, and it is about them trying to make the best of whatever position they get.”

Brief scores: MI Emirates bt Sharjah Warriorz by nine wickets Sharjah Warriorz 176/9 in 20 overs (Johnson Charles 59, Avishka Fernando 39, Luke Wells 18, Karim Janat 18, Fazalhaq Farooqi 4 for 24, Alzarri Joseph 2 for 39). MI Emirates 177/1 in 17.4 overs (Tom Banton 102 not out, Kusal Perera 56 not out, Dilshan Madushanka 1 for 36).

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders bt Gulf Giants by 37 runs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 176/9 in 20 overs (Michael Pepper 57, Joe Clarke 24, Kyle Mayers 19, Aayan Afzal Khan 4 for 16, Blessing Muzarabani 2 for 28). Gulf Giants 139/8 in 20 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 24, Shimron Hetmyer 20, Mark Adair 19, Ali Khan 2 for 23, Jason Holder 2 for 25, Ibrar Ahmad 2 for 27).