Qualifier 2 of the ILT20 2025-26 is done, and MIE have booked their place in the final, where they'll play Desert Vipers. Join us on Sunday for one last time for this tournament this season. But MI fans, you can head over to the SA20 now, where MI Cape Town need 182 to beat Paarl Royals. Until next time, it's goodnight and goodbye from us!
Shakib Al Hasan is the Player of the Match: "It was a very important game for us. Luckily we won the toss. All bowlers bowled exceptionally. We kept taking wickets; that was key. In the end, with the batting, it was about batting time and overs. We had to handle the spinners. That was my job today. There was a little bit for the bowlers. It wasn't an easy wicket to get away. In a pressure game, if you keep losing wickets, it's hard to come back. In the team meeting, everyone knew I had to handle the spinners more. Tom [Banton]'s job was to bat through."
Keiron Pollard, MIE captain: "Feels good. Emotions are high. The way the guys have performed, you can't fault them. The guys have responded pretty well. You can put it down to everything [restricting ADKR to 120]. In games like these, it's actually important you see what's in front of you. If you look at the history of the Knight Riders batters, they like the ball coming on to the bat. Last two games we played against them, spin came out trumps. Vipers got to be a challenge [in the final]. The pressure is back on them. For us, it's one of just continuing our process. We've been here for six weeks now, and it's down to one final."
Jason Holder, ADKR captain: "I thought the wicket was a tough wicket to start on. We didn't get going... Where we were at the midway point in this competition, it was a good effort. Obviously we fell short, but the effort was tremendous. Andre [Russell] was outstanding. Everybody chipped in at some point in the tournament."
Time for the presentations
9.36pm In the end, MIE have it easy. They chase 121 down with seven wickets and nearly four overs to spare after what looked like could be a tricky chase at one stage. MIE needed 72 runs with 11 overs remaining, and Narine seemed to keep their batters in check. But Shakib played the standout innings of the match from there, as he unleashed boundary after boundary on a slow pitch where every other batter either struggled or took his time. His 38 from 24 deliveries was the perfect aggressor to the patient Banton, who finished on 63* off 53 balls. As a result, MIE will face Desert Vipers in the final. Hang around for the presentations of this one, though.
Chawla back.
END OF OVER:16 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | MIE: 118/3 (3 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.37, RRR: 0.75)
- Tom Banton60 (52b)
- Ajay Kumar3-0-13-2
- Jason Holder3-0-25-0
Time-out.
Shakib Al Hasan c Sharafu b Ajay Kumar 38 (38m 24b 5x4 1x6) SR: 158.33
Four to finish?
Here's Ajay.
Could be the last over of the day.
END OF OVER:15 | 18 Runs | MIE: 113/2 (8 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 7.53, RRR: 1.60)
- Tom Banton57 (50b)
- Shakib Al Hasan37 (20b)
- Jason Holder3-0-25-0
- Sunil Narine4-0-20-1
From around.
Holder is back.
END OF OVER:14 | 3 Runs | MIE: 95/2 (26 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 6.78, RRR: 4.33)
- Tom Banton41 (46b)
- Shakib Al Hasan37 (18b)
- Sunil Narine4-0-20-1
- Andre Russell1-0-6-0
Hari: "@Himanshu, Your response for Dimath K's comment, brother :)" --- Ohh, then I jinxed it!!
Slip in as well.
Short midwicket in place.
Narine back.
END OF OVER:13 | 6 Runs | MIE: 92/2 (29 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 7.07, RRR: 4.14)
- Tom Banton40 (42b)
- Shakib Al Hasan35 (16b)
- Andre Russell1-0-6-0
- Liam Livingstone1-0-17-0
Hari: "@Himanshu, I think Shakib heard you brother! Easy peasy chase this." --- Heard me without me saying a word?! I wish everyone was the same.
