The Gulf Giants opened their DP World ILT20 Season 4 campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a six-wicket victory over MI Emirates to end a six-match losing run at the Dubai International Stadium. A blistering 81 off 42 balls from Pathum Nissanka and a powerful all-round outing from Azmatullah Omarzai set the tone for a clinical performance.

Despite a 78-run stand between Nicholas Pooran (46 off 39) and Kieron Pollard (50 off 33), MI Emirates struggled to build momentum. Omarzai and Nuwan Thushara struck early and often, each taking two wickets as the Emirates’ batters laboured. Four of the five MI bowlers later conceded more than 10 runs an over during the chase.

Nissanka stands tall, Omarzai finishes the job

Chasing 164, Chris Woakes briefly threatened to derail the Giants’ start with the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) and Gerhard Erasmus (1). But Nissanka and Moeen Ali (26 off 21) steadied the reply, guiding the side to 67 before Moeen was run out.

After a measured start, Nissanka accelerated superbly, reaching fifty in 30 balls with three fours and two sixes. The chase turned decisively in the Giants’ favour when Omarzai (39 off 16) launched a ruthless assault on Rashid Khan, smashing four and three sixes in a 23-run over.

Nissanka continued the onslaught with three boundaries and a six off Woakes before falling in the 15th over, but Omarzai saw the Giants home comfortably in 14.4 overs.

Early blows derail MI Emirates

Put in to bat, MI Emirates slumped to 36/3 inside the powerplay. Thushara removed Mohammed Waseem (1) and Jonny Bairstow (11), both caught and bowled, while Omarzai castled Tom Banton (6) in the third over.

Pooran and Tajinder Singh (15) attempted to stabilise the innings with a 27-run partnership, but Moeen Ali’s clever spin accounted for Singh at 58/4.

Pollard injected life into the innings in the 13th over, hammering three sixes off Tabraiz Shamsi. Pooran then joined the counterattack with a 14-run burst off Haider Razzaq as the pair added 50 off 36 balls. Pooran fell attempting another big hit in the 18th over, and Pollard followed in the final over to Omarzai. Cameos from Romario Shepherd (18 off 6) and Rashid Khan (6 off 1) dragged MI Emirates to 163/6.

Reaction

Moeen Ali, Gulf Giants stand-in captain:
“Great performance. The toss was huge. We bowled very well in the first 10 overs. They have three players who can take it away, and we held them back nicely. Nissanka and Omarzai were incredible. Nissanka is one of the best in the world, very calm, doesn’t say much, but packs a punch. Omarzai gave us the momentum by taking on Rashid Khan.”

Kieron Pollard, MI Emirates captain:
“Losing three wickets in the powerplay hurt us. The ball was moving around in the first 10 overs, and we couldn’t finish as well as we wanted. We just need to be better with our execution.”

Brief Scores

Gulf Giants beat MI Emirates by six wickets

MI Emirates 163/6 (20 overs):
Kieron Pollard 50, Nicholas Pooran 46, Romario Shepherd 18;
Nuwan Thushara 2–41, Azmatullah Omarzai 2–32

Gulf Giants 164/4 (14.4 overs):
Pathum Nissanka 81, Azmatullah Omarzai 39, Moeen Ali 26;
Chris Woakes 2–49, AM Ghazanfar 1–18.

Liam Livingstone lit up the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on the opening night of DP World ILT20 Season 4, smashing an unbeaten 82 off just 38 balls to hand the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders a dominant 39-run win over the Sharjah Warriorz.

His late-innings carnage lifted ADKR to a massive 233/4, the second-highest total in ILT20 history. And the highlight? A jaw-dropping final over where Livingstone launched five sixes, including four in a row, taking 33 off Dwayne Pretorius.

Before he exploded at the death, Livingstone found solid support. Sherfane Rutherford (45 off 27) kept the middle overs ticking, while Alex Hales (32) and Alishan Sharafu (34) gave ADKR the perfect platform. Adil Rashid was the lone bowler who kept things somewhat under control for the Warriorz with 2/31.

The chase, however, never quite got going for Sharjah. Three early wickets, Johnson Charles, Tom Abell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, left them reeling at 56/3 inside seven overs.

Tim David briefly shifted the momentum with a spectacular 60 off 24 balls, blasting Piyush Chawla for three sixes in one over and reaching fifty in just 21 deliveries. But once Ajay Kumar removed him for 120/6, the asking rate ballooned to nearly 20 an over.

Pretorius (39 off 20) and Rashid (25 off 11) swung hard late on, including a 25-run over off Andre Russell, but the Warriorz finished well short at 194/9.

Earlier, the Knight Riders had gotten off to a lively start thanks to Michael Pepper’s early boundaries and a 51-run stand between Hales and Sharafu, before Rashid’s double strike slowed things briefly.

But the Livingstone–Rutherford 95-run partnership put the innings firmly back on track, setting up a finish that electrified the Sharjah crowd.

Livingstone was named Player of the Match for his match-winning blitz.

The Desert Vipers kicked off DP World ILT20 Season 4 in style, defeating defending champions Dubai Capitals by four wickets at the Dubai International Stadium and finally breaking a six-match hoodoo against their rivals. The victory, built on Andries Gous’ blistering half-century and a disciplined bowling display, also marked the Vipers’ 21st win in ILT20 history, the most by any franchise.

After choosing to bowl first, the Vipers’ attack applied early pressure as Noor Ahmad (2/25), David Payne (2/26) and Khuzaima Tanveer (2/35) shared six wickets to restrict the Capitals to 150/8.

In reply, the Vipers dominated from the outset. Fakhar Zaman (26 off 15) and Gous (58 off 36) launched a rapid 50-run opening stand, with Zaman clearing the ropes twice before falling to Mohammad Nabi, the first time he has been dismissed by a spinner in the ILT20. Gous kept the momentum going, hammering three fours off Scott Currie as the Vipers raced to 64/1 by the end of the powerplay.

Gous continued to dictate proceedings, reaching his half-century in 32 balls with six fours and two sixes. Max Holden (19) added support before wickets from Waqar Salamkheil briefly pulled the Capitals back into the game. Currie chipped away late with strikes against Shimron Hetmyer and Hassan Nawaz, but Dan Lawrence (19 off 16) and Tanveer (12 off 8) calmly guided the Vipers home with an over to spare.

Earlier, the Capitals’ innings never fully settled after early strikes from the Vipers’ pacers. Naseem Shah dismissed Sediqullah Atal (16), Sam Curran removed Gulbadin Naib for a golden duck with a sharp return catch, and Dan Lawrence got rid of Jordan Cox to leave the champions reeling at 32/3.

Shayan Jahangir (19) and David Willey (10) tried to rebuild, but Noor Ahmad’s return ended Willey’s resistance. Rovman Powell (39 off 22) briefly shifted gears, smashing 18 runs off a Tanveer over during a 34-run stand with Naib, before the UAE pacer hit back to dismiss him at 101/5.

Mohammad Nabi (29 off 23) added late impetus with two fours and two sixes, combining with skipper Dasun Shanaka (12 off 11) for 30 runs. But with both falling in the final overs, the Capitals settled for 150/8, a total that proved insufficient.

Player of the Match Andries Gous said, “It was a bit slow up front, but it got better as we batted. I’ve come in with confidence, so it’s good to get that first fifty behind me as we head into the rest of the tournament.”

Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals captain Dasun Shanaka admitted his side fell short, “With both bat and ball, we were not up to the mark today. We need to hold our line and length — 150–160 is the par score here. Hopefully, we come back with better plans next time.”

Brief Scores:
Desert Vipers beat Dubai Capitals by four wickets

Dubai Capitals 150/8 (20 overs): Rovman Powell 39; Mohammad Nabi 29; Shayan Jahangir 19; Noor Ahmad 2/25; David Payne 2/26; Khuzaima Tanveer 2/35

Desert Vipers 151/6 (19 overs): Andries Gous 58; Fakhar Zaman 26; Dan Lawrence 19*; Waqar Salamkheil 2/18; Scott Currie 2/36

Player of the Match: Andries Gous