Romario Shepherd stars as MI Emirates beat Sharjah Warriorz in ILT20

Sharjah: MI Emirates escaped a late scare before pulling off a four-run win over Sharjah Warriorz on Sunday thanks to Romario Shepherd.

UAE star Muhammad Waseem was the highest run-getter for MI Emirates, scoring 39 runs in 29 balls, including two fours and as many sixes. However, it was Tom Banton (32 off 21) and Shepherd, who smashed an unbeaten 31 off 10 balls who kept their calm to take their team past the target.

Batting first, MI Emirates started on a cautious note, with Jonny Bairstow (37 off 24) hitting their first six of the innings only in the third over. That shot sparked a brief surge as they reached 49 without loss at the end of the powerplay, before Junaid Siddique made the breakthrough with the wicket of Bairstow in the next over.

Waseem then took charge of the batting, rotating the strike and finding the odd boundary, but Adil Rashid turned the game on its head by dismissing Nicholas Pooran (5 off 12) and removing Waseem two balls later.

At 119/3 after 15 overs, MI Emirates needed a strong finish. Banton joined the attack with a crucial 32 off 21 balls, including two fours and one six, anchoring the innings. Shakib Al Hasan (16 off 12) was retired out for skipper Kieron Pollard (4 off 2), while Banton fell soon after to give Rashid his third wicket of the night.

Late fireworks came from USA’s Tajinder Singh (17 off 8), who struck Rashid for two sixes in his final over, before Maheesh Theekshana removed Pollard. Shepherd then powered the closing stages, smashing two sixes in the final over to lift MI Emirates to a competitive 185.

The Warriorz started the second innings with a spring in their step. Johnson Charles (15 off 13) hit three fours, but Naveen-ul-Haq got the early breakthrough, and Shubham Ranjane (6 off 7) followed soon after, shifting momentum in MI Emirates’ favour. Tim David (13 off 7) hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for three consecutive fours but the Afghan bowler had the last laugh, rattling his stumps to reduce the Warriorz to 48/3 at the end of the powerplay.

Kohler-Cadmore then found support from the experienced Raza. The Zimbabwean played the role of the aggressor, finding the regular boundary but also rotating the strike in an able fashion. He backed up his batting with a well-earned half century off just 26 balls, completing the achievement with a six off Shepherd’s bowling.

The duo shared a 103-run stand in just 59 balls before Allah Ghazanfar provided the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Raza. He then struck again with the very next delivery to bowl Dwaine Pretorius, sealing a two-wicket maiden and giving the MI Emirates a crucial lifeline.

Kohler-Cadmore also reached his half-century in 40 balls, but the pressure was on the Warriorz, who needed 21 runs in final two overs. Kohler-Cadmore followed in the next over off Zahoor Khan’s bowling, putting the onus on MI Emirates. Shepherd then closed out the game in the final over with some brilliant death bowling, securing their first win of the season.

MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard said: “I’m very pleased, but cricket is a game of uncertainties — if you fight till the end, anything can happen. Full credit to the players for staying in the contest. Losing wickets close together slowed us down, and although we tried to rebuild, they bowled well. Romario Shepherd’s late surge gave us crucial momentum heading into the second half. Before the final ball, I told him not to change anything from what he had done in the first five deliveries. The two wickets in Ghazanfar’s over proved to be the turning point for us.”

Tim Southee, skipper of the Sharjah Warriorz said: “Both sides were in the game throughout, and the partnership between Kohler-Cadmore and Raza was outstanding, but we fell short in the end. Our bowling was an improvement from the other night, though as a unit we know we can be better; the day game was always going to be different and while we handled it better, there is still room to improve. Ideally, you want someone set at the end of a chase, but as a bowling side, if you keep taking wickets, you stay in the contest until the last over — credit to them. As for Karthik’s injury, I’m not sure yet; I haven’t seen him.”

Brief scores: MI Emirates beat Sharjah Warriorz by four runs. MI Emirates 185/8 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 39, Jonny Bairstow 37, Adil Rashid 3 for 32, Tim Southee 1 for 26). Sharjah Warriorz 181/7 (Sikander Raza 64, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 51, Allah Ghazanfar 2 for 21, Naveen-ul-Haq 2 for 29). Player of the match: Romario Shepherd