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MI Emirates’ Hosein spins out Sharjah Warriors to win by 106 runs – ARN News Centre
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Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein bowled out Sharjah Warriors for a paltry 74 runs and guided MI Emirates to a 106-run win in the ninth match of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
He wreaked havoc with a spell of 4 for 23 through his guile and precision and bowled out Warriors in 12.1 overs.
MI Emirates had posted a total of 180 for 7 in 20 overs through Andre Fletcher, who hit 42 off 31 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. Kusal Perera, too, scored 42 runs off 25 balls with three boundaries and three sixes. Together, they put on 93 runs off 56 balls for the second wicket. Skipper Nicholas Pooran then cracked 37 runs off 29 balls with two sixes and a boundary. Sharjah Warriors’ Muhammad Jawadullah stood out, taking three wickets for 31.
Warriors, who had to score at a run rate of nine, lost early wickets. Hosein bowled out danger man Johnson Charles with the last ball of the first over for 1, while Boult had skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore caught and bowled for a duck. Opener Martin Guptill and Niroshan Dickwella added another 33 runs before Boult struck again to force Dickwella to play into David’s hands at mid-off for 22. Joe Denly began smashing Boult to the cover boundary, but the Warriors lost Guptill to a slow delivery from Fazalhaq Farooqi for 17.
Hosein’s deadly eighth over had Denly caught-out and bowled for 6 off the second ball. One ball later, he dismissed Basil Hameed for a duck caught by Boult at long-off and then Daniel Sams’s leg with the next ball. Hosein missed his hat-trick as Chris Woakes survived a review after being given out leg before.
Earlier, Emirates began by losing their consistent opener, Muhammad Waseem, to the second ball of the first over from Chris Woakes, caught brilliantly by a diving Joe Denly at cover point for a duck. Fletcher, who joined opener Perera, aggressively lifted Dilshan Madushanka to the sightscreen for a six. Perera topped it with two sixes off Madushanka to take 20 runs off the fourth over.
Strike bowler Maheesh Theekshana was also hit for 16 runs in the sixth over. When the total was seven runs short of the 100-run mark, Theekshana yorked Fletcher for 42. Perera followed, run-out to the next ball for 42 in a mix up with his skipper Nicholas Pooran.
The mantle of maintaining the run flow fell on Pooran and Ambati Rayudu. That’s when Muhammad Jawadullah struck to clean bowl Rayudu, who went for a wild swing and missed for 7. Tim David and Pooran scored seven runs short of the 150 mark when Daniel Sams forced David to edge to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for 20. The pair had put on 38 runs in 27 balls for the fifth wicket. Pooran fell in the last over to Jawadullah, hitting straight to Denly at long-off. Jawadullah also yorked Hosein for a duck, but Trent Boult struck the last two deliveries of the innings for boundaries.
Pooran, skipper of the winning team, said: “Losing the toss, we had some responsibility to hold strong in batting. We felt 170 would do the job for us. It was a slightly difficult track for batters. We had to work hard in the batting department. This is the second game where we have bowled a team for less than 100.”
Sharjah skipper Kohler-Cadmore said his team needed to be more positive. “You don’t go out there and panic. Most teams will bowl first here. If you lose a lot of wickets at the top, you will struggle in the chase. We should not be losing too many wickets in the powerplay. It is about staying positive and keeping the same intent. And would hope to come back stronger for the next game.”
The player of the match, Hosein, described how his spell was about making the right assessment. “I thought I would bowl fuller. Bowling the first over, I thought it was about execution. But it’s just about making the assessment. I had to spin more balls. It’s unfortunate that I was so close to picking up a hat trick.”
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Indian chess star Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu produced a brilliant final-round victory to win Norway Chess 2026, capping a dramatic finish to one of the year’s most prestigious tournaments.
Entering the final day half a point behind leader Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew only a win would give him a realistic chance of claiming the title. The 19-year-old delivered under pressure, defeating Vincent Keymer with the white pieces to secure the full three points and surge to first place.
The victory lifted Praggnanandhaa to 18 points, enough to overtake Wesley So and clinch the Norway Chess crown in Oslo.
So, who had led the standings heading into the final round, drew his classical game against Alireza Firouzja before winning the Armageddon tiebreak. However, the extra points were not enough to keep him ahead of the charging Indian grandmaster.
Firouzja completed a strong campaign to finish third overall.
Elsewhere, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen signed off in style with a classical victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, delighting home fans with a final-round win.
Final Standings
- Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu – 18 points
- Wesley So – 17 points
- Alireza Firouzja – 15.5 points
Assaubayeva dominates women’s event
In the Norway Chess Women’s tournament, Bibisara Assaubayeva completed a dominant campaign to secure the title after having already wrapped up first place with a round to spare.
The final day featured three decisive classical games, eliminating the need for Armageddon tiebreaks.
Women’s world champion Ju Wenjun handed Assaubayeva her first classical defeat of the tournament, while Zhu Jiner defeated Humpy Koneru to secure second place overall. Anna Muzychuk also ended her campaign on a high note with a victory over Divya Deshmukh to finish third.
Norway Chess women’s final standings
- Bibisara Assaubayeva – 16.5 points
- Zhu Jiner – 16 points
- Anna Muzychuk – 15 points
Praggnanandhaa’s triumph marks another major milestone in the young Indian grandmaster’s rapidly rising career and further strengthens India’s growing influence at the highest level of world chess.
The battle for the Norway Chess 2026 title is set for a thrilling finish after a dramatic Round 9 left three players firmly in contention heading into the final day in Oslo.
Tournament leader Wesley So maintained his narrow advantage after drawing his classical game against Magnus Carlsen before winning the Armageddon tiebreak to secure valuable extra points.
The standout result of the day came from Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, who defeated reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju with the black pieces. The victory earned Praggnanandhaa three points and moved him to within half a point of the tournament lead.
Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja kept his championship hopes alive by overcoming Vincent Keymer in Armageddon after their classical game ended in a draw.
With one round remaining, Wesley So leads the standings on 15.5 points, followed by Praggnanandhaa on 15 points and Firouzja on 14.5 points, setting up a nail-biting conclusion to the tournament.
Assaubayeva seals women’s title
In the women’s competition, Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the Norway Chess Women 2026 title with a round to spare.
Assaubayeva drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk, who later claimed the Armageddon win. However, the result was enough to guarantee Assaubayeva an unassailable lead at the top of the standings.
The only decisive classical result in the women’s event came from Zhu Jiner, who defeated Divya Deshmukh to move into second place.
Elsewhere, Humpy Koneru and Ju Wenjun drew their classical encounter before Ju Wenjun claimed the Armageddon victory.
After Round 9, Assaubayeva tops the women’s standings with 16.5 points, ahead of Zhu Jiner on 13 points and Anna Muzychuk on 12 points.
Praggnanandhaa wins Norway Chess 2026 title after stunning comeback
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