Gulf Giants made a giant leap over MI Emirates through James Vince’s captain’s knock of 83 in Qualifier 2 of the ILT20 at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday to book their place in the final. They will now meet Desert Vipers in the title clash at the same venue on Sunday.
Opening the innings, Vince virtually carried the team on his shoulders through an unbeaten 83 which came off 56 balls with ten boundaries and one six. MI Emirates had posted a challenging 167 for 5 through their skipper Kieron Pollard’s unbeaten 57 runs from 35 balls with three boundaries and four sixes. Vince, despite wickets falling at the other end, carried his team to the target with 11 balls to spare.
The race for the place in the final began with Gulf Giants winning the toss and electing to bowl. MI Emirates opener Andre Fletcher, who top scored in the eliminator through an unbeaten 68 against Dubai Capitals on Thursday, fell to the fourth ball of the second over from Carlos Brathwaite caught by a leaping Chris Jordan at slip for 4. Lorcan Tucker, who joined opener Muhammad Waseem, scored four boundaries off David Wiese in the fourth over to get 18 runs off that over. In the fifth over, Jordan ended Tucker’s stay by having him caught by Aayan Khan for 21. At the end of the powerplay, MI Emirates were 34 for 2.
In the eighth over, Waseem hit Colin de Grandhomme’s fifth delivery for a six. In the next ball, he escaped being caught by Wiese at long-off on 15. Waseem celebrated his escape by hitting leg spinner Qais Ahmed for two successive sixes, one over long-on and the second one pulled over backward square leg. In the 10th over, Dan Mousley fell for 7 while trying to steer Wiese but landed up edging to wicketkeeper Gerhard Erasmus for 7.
At the halfway mark, MI Emirates were 67 for 3 and more setbacks followed. In the 11th over. Waseem played Jordan onto his wickets for 31. This brought in two of the finest hitters – skipper Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran to the crease. Pooran, on 3, escaped being caught by Brathwaite at slip off Qais Ahmed’s second delivery of the 12th over. He also got dropped by Sanchit Sharma at deep mid-wicket in the third delivery.
Thereafter, the bit hits began. First, Pooran hit Grandhomme for a six. Then Pollard hit Qais for two successive sixes in the 15th over. When Pooran too hit the fifth ball of Qais’ over to over mid-wicket, 22 runs came off that over and the score shot up to 111 for 4.
Pooran was dropped for the third time when Grandhomme, in front of the square, failed to hold on to his top edge off Brathwaite. He finally fell in the 18th over from Wiese caught by Jordan at long-on for 29 after adding 71 runs in 44 balls for the fifth wicket.
Pollard hit his fourth six off Brathwaite over mid-wicket to take his team’s score past the 150-run mark. Fifteen runs were scored off Brathwaite’s 19th over. Pollard reached his 50 in 31 balls in the last over and ensured his team a challenging total.
Needing 168 to win, James Vince and Chris Lynn began with a steady flow of runs scoring 10 runs off Trent Boult’s first over. Vince was severe on Boult in the third over hitting him for three consecutive boundaries and another off the last ball to take 16 runs off that over.
Strike bowler Rashid Khan was introduced in the fourth over and Lynn slog-swept his second delivery for a six. Fourteen runs were scored off Khan’s over and the 50 runs partnership came in 4.2 overs. Bravo provided the breakthrough having Lynn caught by Dan Mousley at extra cover to the last delivery of the powerplay after putting on a 64 runs partnership.
In the eighth over, Rashid Khan clean bowled Grandhomme with a googly for 10. At the halfway mark, Gulf Giants were 92 for 2 needing 76 runs from 60 balls. Vince reached his half-century in 39 balls. When Gulf Giants needed 60 runs off 46 balls, Fazalhaq Farooq struck twice off successive balls. He had Erasmus caught by Mousley in the deep, and with the very next ball took the prize wicket of Shimron Hetmyer who hooked straight to Boult at fine leg.
Undaunted by the fall of wickets, Vince hit Pollard for a six and a boundary. He also pulled Farooqi for another six to the stands to make it 32 runs from the last five overs. When 24 runs were needed from 25 balls, Rashid Khan removed Wiese caught by Waseem at backward square leg for 15.
Brathwaite walked in and hit Bravo for a straight six in the 17th over. When four runs were needed off 12 balls, Boult clean-bowled Brathwaite for 13. Vince hit the winning boundary through the covers off Farooqi and remained unconquered to ensure the victory.
Speaking about how they prepare for matches, Gulf Giants’ Chris Lynn said, “We plan very well for our games and stick to them. The credit has got to be given to our coaching staff for preparing the players as best they can. And our captain James Vince doesn’t get flustered at all, which is a great sign of a good captain. He’s a big game player as well and that’ll give us confidence going into the final.”
Meanwhile, MI Emirates’ Kieron Pollard said, “We didn’t start well with the bat and I think that cost us today. We had a very good campaign in the ILT20. It’s about learning and getting better as individuals and I am sure that the guys in our dressing room would have gained knowledge during this tournament.”
Brief scores: MI Emirates 167 for 5 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 31, Lorcan Tucker 21, Nicholas Pooran 29, Kieron Pollard 57*; David Wiese 2 for 31, Chris Jordan 2 for 25) vs Gulf Giants 168 for 6 in 18.1 overs (James Vince 83*, Chris Lynn 24; Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 27, Rashid Khan 2 for 40). (ANI)
