Match 12, , January 19, 2025, 07:30 PM
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
176/9(20.0ov)
Gulf Giants
139/8(20.0ov)
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Gulf Giants by 37 runs
Win Projections to be updated soon
Right then, that is it from Super Sunday here in the ILT20, 2025 and we have seen a couple of comprehensive wins, one while chasing and now the other while defending. Next up is Match number 13 to be played on Monday, 20 January here in Dubai where Dubai Capitals will take on unbeaten Desert Vipers in a crucial contest. That one will begin at 8 pm IST (6.30 pm GMT) but you can join us an hour in advance for the build-up. Cheers!
Michael Pepper is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fine half-century. He says that when the ball was hard, it was coming off nicely and then it got slower and slower in the end. Adds that he had to change his natural game a little bit as it was hard to score at the square of the wicket. Mentions that there are many superstars in the team as all the players want to take responsibility on the given day. Tells us that Abu Dhabi has a lot more pace and bounce than here and he likes to play there. Says that he is happy with the win today and will want to replicate this performance in the ongoing season as well.
Sunil Narine, the captain of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders starts by speaking about Ibrar Ahmed and says that the work he put in the training sessions came good here. Adds that they had self-belief today and tried to stay a couple of steps ahead of the opposition. Reckons they had a par score but should have got more runs given the start they got. Mentions that it is a good problem to have batting depth but in the end, it should be the players who need to perform.
James Vince, Gulf Giants' skipper, says that Aayan Khan was superb and as he has grown up here so he knows the conditions well. Adds that the Knight Riders played really well in the first innings, even though they tried to keep them down but it was a good score. Mentions that they lost too many wickets in the chase. Reckons that there was a variable bounce on the pitch.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, James Vince put Abu Dhabi Knight Riders into bat and it was a quickfire innings that at one stage looked like going berserk, especially during that stand between Joe Clarke and Michael Pepper but Gulf Giants did extremely well to pick up a few quick wickets and get back in the game. The bowling was led by Aayan Khan who picked up a four-fer as Pepper's half-century and a few hits from the tailenders propelled the Knight Riders over the 175-run mark. In reply, the Giants failed to capitalize and there was no batter that went on to get a big score, resulting in a loss.
Riding on a high one day and then starring at a big defeat on another day and that's the story for Gulf Giants as they succumb to another loss. Adam Lyth failed to make any impact after being subbed on and after a few eye-catching strokes, skipper James Vince too fell inside the Powerplay. There were plenty of brewing knocks that never reached a boiling point and they kept losing wickets, allowing the opposition to stay ahead in the game. There was a late charge from Mark Adair and Tymal Mills closed off with a couple of boundaries but they were already out of the game.
Not the usual Dubai pitch and the Knight Riders would have felt that they left 15 or so runs out in the middle during the innings break. They also opted to sub-out Andre Russell who had a knee issue but the bowling attack stepped out. David Willey was tidy early on and picked up a wicket as well but it was the young T20 debutant, Ibrahim Zadran who got rid of James Vince and then picked up another wicket to set things into motion. The likes of Narine and others also came to the fore and they just kept picking wickets at regular intervals, hence stemming the flow of runs in the process as well and eventually winning by a comfortable margin.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are back to winning ways and that's a really clinical showing with the ball from them after what looked like a bit of an under-achieved performance with the bat earlier on. As for Gulf Giants they pick up their third loss of the season and remain on 2 points just like Dubai Capitals.
In over# 20
4
4
0
0
0
0W
Ali Khan 23/2(3)
19.6
4
FOUR! ENDS WITH A BOUNDARY! Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have won this game by 37 runs! Ali bowls on full length, around middle and leg, Tymal Mills moves across and scoops it over short fine leg for a boundary.
19.5
4
FOUR! THROUGH THE EDGE! Short of a length, around middle, above the shoulders, Tymal Mills again makes room by going to the leg side and has a wild swing at it. Gets a top edge that goes over the keeper for a boundary behind the wicket.
19.4
.
A yorker this time, down the leg side, with pace, Tymal Mills makes room to dig it out but misses. The ball zips past the leg pole by an inch.
19.3
.
A bouncer above shoulders, around middle, follows the batter, Tymal Mills makes room and tries to play a upper cut but gets beaten on the outside edge.
19.2
.
Short of a length, outside off, Tymal Mills looks to cut it but misses.
Tymal Mills walks out to bat now.
OUT! CAUGHT! EIGHTH DOWN! Ali Khan gets his second wicket of the night! He bowls on a good length, outside off, going away from the batter, Mark Adair swings at it as there is nothing else to do for him. He doesn't connect it well because he hasn't reached to the pitch of the ball. The ball goes in the air towards deep cover where Kyle Mayers takes it with both hands comfortably. Gulf Giants are 131/8.
19.1
W
OUT! CAUGHT! EIGHTH DOWN! Ali Khan gets his second wicket of the night! He bowls on a good length, outside off, going away from the batter, Mark Adair swings at it as there is nothing else to do for him. He doesn't connect it well because he hasn't reached to the pitch of the ball. The ball goes in the air towards deep cover where Kyle Mayers takes it with both hands comfortably. Gulf Giants are 131/8.
In over# 19
0
0W
4
1
2
0
Jason Holder 25/2(4)
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