Player of the Match
Player of the Match

10:17pm That will be all from us for today. We will be back with more cricketing action from around the world tomorrow. Until then, from Chandan and myself (Shashwat), this is goodbye!

Aayan Afzal Khan, Player of the Match: It was a spinning wicket. Happy to take a few wickets. To bowl four overs, it feels so good. I did not bowl for a few games, felt so good to bowl now. This match was so good for me. For me, it is so nice to be here (taking this award).

James Vince, Gulf Giants captain: Bowling first, the spinners were excellent through the middle. Whenever he (Aayan) plays, he does an amazing job. Got away from us a bit at the end. As the innings went on, pace-off was tricky to hit. They got 35-40 (at the end) which was probably a little too many. Wanted to get ahead of the game (in the powerplay). It was tricky, as expected, in the middle but managed to get over the line. Pace off the ball, even when the seamers rolled their fingers, it sat a bit. Spinners played a big role throughout the game. (On Nissanka's future) As far as I understand, he should be okay for the next game. But will leave that to the professionals.

Tim Southee, Sharjah Warriorz captain: Last two (matches), we have been in it till the end. Tonight, was a good effort to take it that deep (after the powerplay). 0-3 is not where we want to be, but we have a chance in a couple of days to put that right. There is a little bit of dew. But on that wicket, you needed quality spinners who could take it deep. Spinners bowled really well to give us a chance at the end. (On if they are inclined to change things up) A different opposition next time to contemplate and make the (necessary) decisions.

Shadow-Shell: "Ask and you shall receive, third thriller in 3 matches"

10pm A bit of a slow burn, but things did get tense towards the end. That was largely down to how the Warriorz's spinners bowled. Led by Rashid and Raza, they tied down the Giants through the middle phases and ensured they had to do some more heavy lifting at the death. Unfortunately for SW, they did not have a whole host of runs to play with and that, ultimately, is what pegged them back.

The Giants would have wanted to finish this with much lesser hassle, especially given how Gurbaz and Vince had begun. But they kept losing wickets through the middle and could not sustain their momentum against spin. Thankfully for them, Gurbaz gave them enough of a cushion at the top, with Omarzai holding his nerve adequately to ensure they did not botch a run-chase they were in control of for the majority.

19.4
1
Southee to Dickson, 1 run, well, no Super Over today, because the Giants have scraped past the line! Sharp short ball on leg stump and this gets big on Dickson. He shanks his pull horribly but all he needed to do was find a gap. Does so in the vacant square leg region, and that is the cue for the Giants' celebrations. They pick up their third win of the season; the Warriorz, meanwhile, remain winless!

Scores level, meaning that if the Warriorz are to get on the board tonight, they will have to win it via a Super Over. Wondering if we have seen that this week already?

19.3
2
Southee to Dickson, 2 runs, back ofa length just outside off. Dickson bunts it towards long on and Erasmus channels his inner sprinter straightaway. He was always going to come back for two and Dickson makes it back to the other end too!

Dickson is the new batter in. What a time to walk in too. 3 off 4

19.2
W
Southee to Azmatullah Omarzai, OUT, taken on the fence this time, and Omarzai perishes with the finish line in sight! Southee tests out the middle of the deck again but this time, follows the batter a little. Omarzai cannot free his arms fully on the pull and splices it into the wide long on region, where David moves to his right and sends Omarzai packing. Is there another twist in this game still?!

Azmatullah Omarzai c David b Southee 28 (27m 21b 1x4 2x6) SR: 133.33

19.1
6
Southee to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, Omarzai finds the moon with that, and he also finds the stands! What a hit under pressure! Into the track on off stump and this sits up just enough. Omarzai picks it up early, gets into position and clobbers it way over the deep mid wicket fence!

Another final-over thriller, folks. 9 off 6. Omarzai on strike. Southee to bowl. Who have you got?

END OF OVER:
19 | 8 Runs | GG: 149/3 (9 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.84, RRR: 9.00)

  • Gerhard Erasmus15 (18b)
  • Azmatullah Omarzai22 (19b)
  • Adil Rashid4-0-21-1
  • Tim Southee3-0-25-0
18.6
0
Rashid to Erasmus, no run, very slow on a length just outside leg. Erasmus, trying to back away, has no room to work with and scuffs it towards extra cover
18.5
0
Rashid to Erasmus, no run, floated up beautifully on a full length on off stump. Drifts in and then rips away, well past Erasmus' flailing blade. Mendis whips off the bails in a flash, and we go upstairs to see if he managed to whip them off quickly enough. The back foot was grounded, but did it come up when the bails were removed? Oh my. The foot does come up but when the stumps are broken, the back foot is marginally grounded. It comes up afterwards and as it turned out, Mendis was too quick!
18.4
2
Rashid to Erasmus, 2 runs, given a bit of air on a length on leg stump. Erasmus skips down the track and smears it towards deep mid wicket. Back for a brace
18.3
1lb
Rashid to Azmatullah Omarzai, 1 leg bye, huge lbw shout, not given! Floated up fuller on leg stump. Omarzai has a massive slog across the line and gets pinged on the back leg. Seemed to be heading down, but the Warriorz are going to chance their luck. There is no bat involved. All eyes on Ball Tracking now. It comes up and...reckons the ball would have just clipped leg stump. Umpire's Call on that count and on Impact too, and Omarzai stays!
18.2
4
Rashid to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR, Omarzai with a stunning boundary! Marginally short outside off and the slowness allows Omarzai to rock back and crash it over extra cover. TKC with a desperate dive on the fence but he cannot rein it in!
18.1
1
Rashid to Erasmus, 1 run, slider on a fullish length just outside off. Erasmus drills it towards long off

Right. This could be it. 17 off 12. Rashid to bowl

END OF OVER:
18 | 6 Runs | GG: 141/3 (17 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.83, RRR: 8.50)

  • Azmatullah Omarzai18 (17b)
  • Gerhard Erasmus12 (14b)
  • Tim Southee3-0-25-0
  • Maheesh Theekshana4-0-33-0
17.6
0
Southee to Azmatullah Omarzai, no run, slower ball bowled into the track outside off. Omarzai tries to hit it too hard and squirts it off the under-edge towards the keeper
17.5
1
Southee to Erasmus, 1 run, back of a length on off. Erasmus clears his front leg and slugs it down the ground to long on
17.4
1
Southee to Azmatullah Omarzai, 1 run, shortish again, outside off. Omarzai fetches it and drags it towards deep mid wicket
17.3
1
Southee to Erasmus, 1 run, banged into the track outside off. Erasmus throws his hands at it and slashes it towards sweeper cover
17.2
2
Southee to Erasmus, 2 runs, shortish on off stump. Erasmus rises with the bounce and tugs it enough to long on's right to scamper back for two
17.1
1
Southee to Azmatullah Omarzai, 1 run, dug into the track outside off. Gurbaz jumps up onto his toes and swipes it towards long on

23 off 18. Another 10-run over and the Giants will feel they have sewn up the game. Southee brings himself back on. Rashid still has an over left. SW holding that back for now

Kg: "Curious that Rashid's last over has been held back. He is the biggest wicket threat for SW"

END OF OVER:
17 | 14 Runs | GG: 135/3 (23 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.94, RRR: 7.66)

  • Gerhard Erasmus8 (11b)
  • Azmatullah Omarzai16 (14b)
  • Maheesh Theekshana4-0-33-0
  • Tim David1-0-3-0
16.6
2
Theekshana to Erasmus, 2 runs, length ball wide outside off. Erasmus steps out to the leg side again before flaying it towards sweeper cover
16.5
1
Theekshana to Azmatullah Omarzai, 1 run, length outside off. Omarzai gives himself room before chopping it towards sweeper cover
16.4
0
Theekshana to Azmatullah Omarzai, no run, back of a length on the stumps. Skids onto Omarzai and he pats it back to the bowler
16.3
1
Theekshana to Erasmus, 1 run, fired in full on leg stump. Erasmus brings out the reverse and scuffs it towards backward point
16.3
1w
Theekshana to Erasmus, 1 wide, length ball hung up wide outside off. Erasmus backs away and then swishes at it. Misses it but gets the wide call, much to Theekshana's surprise. That seemed touch-and-go
16.2
3
Theekshana to Azmatullah Omarzai, 3 runs, short and wide outside off. Omarzai waits on it before cutting it past backward point. Ranjane gives chase on the fence, puts in the dive to his left and saves the boundary
16.1
6
Theekshana to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, Omarzai breaks the shackles! A bit of a half-tracker on the stumps and Omarzai climbs into it. He clears his front leg and clubs it over deep mid wicket!

Well, this has gotten rather nervy from a Giants perspective. 37 off 24, and they, like the Warriorz, are finding it very tough to get spin away. Some food for thought at the time-out. Theekshana to bowl out

END OF OVER:
16 | 3 Runs | GG: 121/3 (37 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.56, RRR: 9.25)

  • Azmatullah Omarzai6 (10b)
  • Gerhard Erasmus5 (9b)
  • Tim David1-0-3-0
  • Maheesh Theekshana3-0-19-0
15.6
1
David to Azmatullah Omarzai, 1 run, shortish outside off. Omarzai sits back and hacks it towards long on

ILT20 News

Giants 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st78JM VinceRahmanullah Gurbaz
2nd29MM AliRahmanullah Gurbaz
3rd4MG ErasmusRahmanullah Gurbaz
4th44MG ErasmusAzmatullah Omarzai
5th3MG ErasmusSR Dickson

International League T20

TeamMWLPTNRR
DV1082160.438
MIE1073140.676
DC1055100.578
ADKR10468-0.559
GG10376-0.31
SW10376-0.815