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DP World ILT20: MI Emirates see off Knights to make playoffs

Kieron Pollard's side win by 18 runs to join Desert Vipers and the Gulf Giants in the last four

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MI Emirates, one of the marquee franchises in the DP World ILT20, had organised a fan carnival for their final home game on Friday. And rightly so, the fans turned out in numbers and created a fantastic atmosphere at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

And MI Emirates had some fun along the way too, their 18-run victory against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, assuring their berth in the playoffs of the six-team competition.

After UAE opener Muhammad Waseem did not harm to his burgeoning reputation with a standout 60 and captain Kieron Pollard’s tactical nous of retiring out Lorcan Tucker and then blitzing a fine cameo of 43, to help MI Emirates swell their total to 180-4, evergreen veterans Dwayne Bravo (3-37) and Imran Tahir (2-20) and UAE pacer Zahoor Khan (2-33) restricted the Knight Riders to 162.

But it wasn’t as straightforward as it may have seemed for MI Emirates. Despite losing burly opener Paul Stirling with not a run on the board, the Knight Riders recovered from that blip and came up with a strong riposte. Andre Russell, who has had a middling tournament so far, by his standards, threatened to take the chase to its conclusion.

A first win had beckoned for the Knight Riders after Russell had fired with the bat but UAE medium pacer Zahoor Khan, who has been impressive right through the tournament, finally got his man.

Zahoor’s change of pace had Russell struggling for timing against the UAE quick earlier, and when he finally got one to fly off his bat, it came off the toe of his willow and Russell was gobbled up by Waseem in the deep.

Marchant de Lange still kept the fire burning for the Knight Riders, taking it to the deep end but they ran out of deliveries.

The Knight Riders, winless so far, will have one last chance to finish off with a victory when they wrap up their campaign against the Sharjah Warriors, who are vying for the fourth and final playoff spot with the Dubai Capitals, at the same venue on Saturday.

BRIEF SCORES

MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 18 runs.

MI Emirates: 180-4 (Muhammad Waseem 60, Kieron Pollard 43, Lorcan Tucker 33, Andre Fletcher 22

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 162 all out in 19.2 overs (Andre Russell 42, Joe Clarke 22, Brandon King 20, Marchant de Lange 19, Connor Esterhuizen 17; Dwayne Bravo 3-37, Imran Tahir 2-20, Zahoor Khan 2-33)

TODAY’S MATCHES

> Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 2 pm

> Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Sharjah Warriors, Zayed Cricket Stadium, 6 pm

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