Late innings fireworks by Nicholas Pooran and Tim David helped the MI Emirates convert a lukewarm start into a comfortable 18-run victory against reigning champions Gulf Giants in the fourth match of the ongoing DP World ILT20 here at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Moving at a run-a-ball for his first 17 deliveries, Nicholas Pooran smashed three fours and four sixes to score 51 runs in 18 deliveries while Tim David hammered 41 runs in the death overs to set the Gulf Giants a formidable target of 180 runs to win.
In response, the Gulf Giants’ run chase began with a promising start anchored by James Vince’s half century.
Jamie Overton’s 41 off 18 balls studded with five sixes gave his team a much-needed injection, however a clinical performance by the MI Emirates’ bowling unit led by Fazalhaq Farooqi, restricted the Giants to 161 for 9. Farooqi was the pick of the bowling with figures of 4 for 25.
Elated by his team's victory the winning captain, Nicholas Pooran said, “We were ready with the result, and happy that the guys responded to the challenge. With wickets in hand, you can always go big in the last 5-6 overs.”
Meanwhile Player of the Match, Tim David expressed his delight in contributing to the team’s victory, he said, “It is nice to make any contribution for the side. The boys laid the platform, and I just took it on. It's about finding a method that is going to work for you in that game, take that risk and see what happens.”
Skipper of the Gulf Giants, James Vince, conceded that his side could have come up with a better effort but highlighted his enthusiasm for the upcoming games.
“We never quite got ahead in the game, their finish with the bat was superb. I think we got bogged down before I got out and that was a key moment in the game. We will have a quick debrief ahead of the next game and see where we can improve” he lamented.
Pooran's explosive fifty and Tim David's power-hitting propel MI Emirates
Electing to bowl first, the Gulf Giants enjoyed an early breakthrough when Dominic Drakes dismissed Will Smeed for just one run in the second over. Despite a challenging start against the swing and bounce, Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher managed to push the MI Emirates to 41 for 1 by the end of the powerplay, with Waseem hitting two consecutive sixes. However, Waseem fell to Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the following over for only 19 runs.
Nicholas Pooran joined Andre Fletcher in a labored partnership, adding 22 runs in the middle overs. Fletcher departed for 28 runs, and then Ambati Rayudu and Pooran launched a fierce assault on the Giants' bowling, forging a 69-run partnership in just 32 deliveries. Pooran reached his half-century in 27 balls, while Rayudu contributed a quick 25 runs. However, Chris Jordan's pivotal 18th over saw the dismissal of both Pooran and Rayudu, halting the attack.
In the death overs, Tim David played a blitzkrieg of two fours and fives sixes to score 41 runs in 15 balls and catapult the MI Emirates to a formidable total of 179 for five in 20 overs.
James Vince and James Overton exploits diminished by Fazalhaq Farooqi
Tasked with chasing at nine runs per over, the Gulf Giants had an explosive start spearheaded by captain James Vince, who struck boundaries at will. At the end of five overs, the Giants were powering through with 48 runs for no loss. In the final over of the powerplay, Fazalhaq Farooqi’s potent bowling earned him the wickets of Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox in consecutive deliveries. UAE’s Usman Khan joined James Vince with the score reading 48 for two.
At the halfway mark of the innings, Usman Khan and James Vince had put on 33 runs and the Giants were falling behind the required run rate, needing 99 runs in ten overs. In a bid to accelerate, Usman Khan was dismissed by Waqar Salamkheil for 22 runs. Meanwhile, James Vince brought up his half century in only 38 balls, comprising seven fours and a six. Soon after, the Gulf Giant’s captain was sent back to the dressing room by Dwayne Bravo in the 14th over to bring Shimron Hetmyer to the crease.
Between the 12th and 15th over, the Gulf Giants only managed to gather 12 runs, leaving them with a steep equation of 71 runs needed in the final five overs. In the 17th over, James Overton reinvigorated the run chase with three consecutive sixes in Waqar Salamkheil ‘s over, followed by two sixes off Trent Boult in the next over. Once Overton was dismissed by Farooqi, the defending champs lacked the firepower to push their total beyond 161.
Brief Scores
MI Emirates 179 for 5 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 51, Tim David 41, Andre Fletcher 28; Chris Jordan 2 for 48, Mujeeb ur Rehman 1 for 23) Gulf Giants 161 for 9 in 20 overs (James Vince 52, James Overton 41, Usman Khan 22; Fazalhaq Farooqi 4 for 25, Trent Boult 2 for 39)
Player of the Match: Tim David of MI Emirates
Seales takes second five-wicket haul in a row for Sussex; Holder smashes 123* for Worcestershire
Jayden Seales continued his excellent form so far for Sussex CCC in this season’s County Championship Division Two with another five-wicket haul, this time against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
Seales has, so far, taken 5-101 in 23 overs as Glamorgan have advanced to 411-9 off 102 overs, replying to Sussex’s 278 all out off 87.2 overs on day one.
Glamorgan’s batting effort was led by excellent centuries from Colin Ingram and Kiran Carlson.
Ingram led the way with a 248-ball 170 including 23 fours and three sixes while Carlson made 148 off 217 balls and hit 21 fours in the process.
Seales and Sussex will enter day three on Sunday trailing Glamorgan by 133 runs looking to dismiss them as quickly as possible.
Full scores:
Sussex 278 off 87.2 overs (Fynn Hudson-Prentice 48, Cheteshwar Pujara 41, Jack Carson 39, Aristides Karvelas 39, Mir Hamza 4-70, James Harris 4-93)
Glamorgan 411-9 off 102 overs (Colin Ingram 170, Kiran Carlson 148, Jayden Seales 5-101)
Elsewhere, Jason Holder was one of three Worcestershire batsmen to make centuries as they piled up a massive 618-7 declared in their first innings against Kent on day two at the St. Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.
Holder made a brilliant 123* off just 110 balls including seven fours and three sixes while Gareth Roderick and Matthew Waite both also reached three figures with 117 and 100*, respectively.
Adam Hose fell just ten runs short of a century himself.
Joey Evison and Matt Parkinson each ended with three wicket-hauls for Kent.
In reply, Kent reached 111-2 at stumps with Captain Daniel Bell-Drummond (54*0 and Jack Leaning (43*) at the crease.
Joe Leach has taken both wickets to fall so far.
Full scores:
Worcestershire 617-8 dec. off 158.5 overs (Jason Holder 123*, Gareth Roderick 117, Matthew Waite 100*, Adam Hose 90, Joey Evison 3-58, Matt Parkinson 3-201)
Kent 111-2 off 33 overs (Daniel Bell-Drummond 54*, Jack Leaning 43*, Joe Leach 2-12)
Small role for Russell, Narine struggles with bat and ball as leaders KKR seal playoff place with win over Mumbai Indians
Indian Premier League leaders Kolkata Knight Riders extended their winning streak to four matches and sealed their place in the playoffs by defeating Mumbai Indians in a match impacted by rain on Saturday.
A delayed start to the contest meant it was limited to 16 overs per side, and KKR made it to 157-7 with Venkatesh Iyer producing a quick-hitting 42 runs from 21 balls, as Jasprit Bumrah (2-39) and Piyush Chawla (2-28) both made an impact with the ball.
While Sunil Narine went without scoring, Andre Russell contributed a 14-ball 24 toward the backend of the KKR innings, including two fours and two sixes.
The Indians looked likely to chase down their victory target when they reached 65-0 in the early stages, as they looked to improve on a fine 7-3 record at KKR's Eden Gardens.
But the wicket of Ishan Kishan in the seventh over sparked a rapid collapse, with Mumbai – already eliminated from the competition – quickly falling to 92-5 and ultimately losing by 18 runs.
Russell returned to grab 2-34 from three overs, sharing the wickets with Harshit Rana (2-34), Varun Chakaravarthy (2-17) and Narine, who had 1-21 from his three overs.
KKR remain top of the standings. As well as being the first team to seal their progress, they look good to secure a crucial top-two finish which would give them two chances to reach the final. They now have 18 points, two clear of Rajasthan Royals, who play Chennai Super Kings in one of two games due to take place on Sunday.
Data Debrief: Bumrah eyeing Purple Cap
While this was the latest setback in a highly disappointing season for Mumbai, who are second-bottom of the standings, Bumrah has been a prolific threat.
He took another two key wickets in this one, removing KKR dangerman Sunil Narine for a golden duck and halting a charge from Rinku Singh (20 from 12) in the final over.
That took India bowler Bumrah's season tally to 20, putting him level with Punjab Kings' Harshal Patel at the top of the Purple Cap standings.
The final figures could have been even better for Bumrah, who was frustrated to be hit for six by Ramandeep Singh (17 from 8) in the final ball of the KKR innings and earlier had an lbw decision against Nitish Rana (33) overturned on review.
However, a difficult period of form continued for Bumrah's team-mate Rohit Sharma in his team's unsuccessful run chase.
The opener came into the match with scores of 6, 8, 4, 11 and 4 in his last five innings and he was not much better here, struggling to 19 from 24 before falling to the superb Varun Chakaravarthy, who posted economical figures of 2-17 from four overs. That was quite the contrast to partner Kishan, who smashed 40 from 22.
Anderson open to England coaching role after Test retirement decision
James Anderson may be calling time on his Test career in July but the England great says he would be open to a coaching role in future.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson will end his storied red-ball career after the first Test against West Indies on July 10.
Anderson's 700 wickets in 187 Tests are the most by any pace bowler in history but the 41-year-old will bow out as Brendon McCullum's England look to plan for the future.
The Lancashire bowler's farewell international appearance will come at Lord's in the first of three Tests against West Indies, though Anderson suggested a move to the backroom staff could be a possibility.
"I feel excited about what the future might hold, whether that is potentially to stick around with the team this summer in a different sort of capacity, it would be nice," Anderson told the BBC's Tailenders podcast.
Reports emerged on Friday that McCullum is planning for the long term as he looks to reshape England's bowling attack, with the announcement confirmed a day later.
England will be looking to build a team capable of claiming back the Ashes in Australia across 2025-26 and Anderson acknowledged that task may have proved too great.
"It was sort of just looking ahead and could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months' time and we sort of came to the decision that probably not," he added.
"From my point of view, it feels like a stretch at this stage of my career and from their [England's] point of view there are 15 or so Tests before the Ashes.
"It gives them time to give other guys Test matches and experiences before that. It feels like the right thing for me and the team going forward. It feels like a good time."
Anderson says he will play for Lancashire before his Test farewell at Lord's, though plans remain unclear on his commitment to the county side after that.
"I am not 100 per cent set on what I am going to do next," he continued.
"That will be a conversation down the line and see what they [Lancashire] want to do and if I have the desire and willingness as well."
As for that final time in England whites, Anderson wants to sign off in style.
Ahead of the West Indies meeting, the England bowler is third on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka and Australia's Shane Warne.
"Nearer the time and around that Test different emotions will start rearing their head," he said. "Right now I am happy with everything.
"I am glad I get to play cricket again. I am looking forward to playing for Lancashire, playing that first Test, having fun on the field and remembering why I started playing the game.
"I would like to end it as I started it, loving bowling, showing my skills and helping the team win."
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