MI Emirates secured a place in the ILT20 Season 4 final with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The win sets up a title clash against Desert Vipers on January 4 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Knight Riders restricted to modest total
After being put in to bat, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders were kept in check by a disciplined MI Emirates bowling attack and could manage only 120 for 8. Alishan Sharafu stood tall with an unbeaten half-century, while Allah Ghazanfar impressed with the ball, picking up three wickets for 24 runs. Despite these efforts, the total never looked enough.
Early wobble in MI Emirates’ chase
The chase began cautiously for MI Emirates, who lost Andre Fletcher early for 5 and struggled for momentum in the powerplay. They reached just 26 for 1 after six overs, with the Knight Riders’ bowlers keeping things tight and restricting scoring options.
Banton and Shakib steady the innings
Tom Banton and Shakib Al Hasan then took control, rebuilding the innings with a vital partnership. The pair added 82 runs off 53 balls, combining composure with timely aggression to swing the momentum decisively in MI Emirates’ favour.
Banton anchors as MI Emirates finish comfortably
Banton remained unbeaten on 62 off 53 balls, while Shakib chipped in with a fluent 38 off 24 deliveries. A decisive 17-run 12th over broke the back of the chase, and Banton brought up his half-century off 49 balls in the 15th over. Even after Shakib’s dismissal in the 16th over, MI Emirates cruised home with 23 balls to spare.
Early setbacks hurt Knight Riders’ innings
Earlier, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders suffered immediate setbacks. Michael Pepper was run out in the second over, and Brandon McMullen soon followed after being trapped leg before wicket. The lack of early stability put pressure on the middle order.
Brief revival through Hales and Sharafu
Alex Hales and Alishan Sharafu attempted to revive the innings with a 47-run stand. Hales scored 29 off 36 balls, while Sharafu continued to hold one end, but regular breakthroughs prevented the Knight Riders from building sustained momentum.
MI Emirates secured a place in the ILT20 Season 4 final with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The win sets up a title clash against Desert Vipers on January 4 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Knight Riders restricted to modest total
After being put in to bat, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders were kept in check by a disciplined MI Emirates bowling attack and could manage only 120 for 8. Alishan Sharafu stood tall with an unbeaten half-century, while Allah Ghazanfar impressed with the ball, picking up three wickets for 24 runs. Despite these efforts, the total never looked enough.
Early wobble in MI Emirates’ chase
The chase began cautiously for MI Emirates, who lost Andre Fletcher early for 5 and struggled for momentum in the powerplay. They reached just 26 for 1 after six overs, with the Knight Riders’ bowlers keeping things tight and restricting scoring options.
Banton and Shakib steady the innings
Tom Banton and Shakib Al Hasan then took control, rebuilding the innings with a vital partnership. The pair added 82 runs off 53 balls, combining composure with timely aggression to swing the momentum decisively in MI Emirates’ favour.
Banton anchors as MI Emirates finish comfortably
Banton remained unbeaten on 62 off 53 balls, while Shakib chipped in with a fluent 38 off 24 deliveries. A decisive 17-run 12th over broke the back of the chase, and Banton brought up his half-century off 49 balls in the 15th over. Even after Shakib’s dismissal in the 16th over, MI Emirates cruised home with 23 balls to spare.
Early setbacks hurt Knight Riders’ innings
Earlier, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders suffered immediate setbacks. Michael Pepper was run out in the second over, and Brandon McMullen soon followed after being trapped leg before wicket. The lack of early stability put pressure on the middle order.
Brief revival through Hales and Sharafu
Alex Hales and Alishan Sharafu attempted to revive the innings with a 47-run stand. Hales scored 29 off 36 balls, while Sharafu continued to hold one end, but regular breakthroughs prevented the Knight Riders from building sustained momentum.
Late blows seal Knight Riders’ fate
The innings effectively ended in the 18th over when Allah Ghazanfar struck twice, dismissing Jason Holder and Sunil Narine in quick succession. Sharafu remained unbeaten on 50, guiding his side to 120 for 8.
Second final in four seasons for MI Emirates
With this comprehensive win, MI Emirates have reached their second ILT20 final in four seasons. Strong performances with both bat and ball have carried them through, and they will now turn their attention to the final showdown against Desert Vipers in the quest for the Season 4 title.
The innings effectively ended in the 18th over when Allah Ghazanfar struck twice, dismissing Jason Holder and Sunil Narine in quick succession. Sharafu remained unbeaten on 50, guiding his side to 120 for 8.
Second final in four seasons for MI Emirates
With this comprehensive win, MI Emirates have reached their second ILT20 final in four seasons. Strong performances with both bat and ball have carried them through, and they will now turn their attention to the final showdown against Desert Vipers in the quest for the Season 4 title.
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