Sharjah Warriorz kept their DP World ILT20 Season 4 playoff hopes alive with a tense four-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in a low-scoring contest at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a modest target of 135, the Warriorz held their nerve to cross the line on the final ball, thanks to a composed unbeaten 42 from James Rew and a vital all-round contribution from Sikandar Raza. The win lifts Sharjah to six points with two matches remaining, tightening the race for the remaining playoff spots.
Earlier, the Warriorz bowlers laid the foundation with a blistering start that left the Knight Riders reeling at 10 for four inside four overs. Taskin Ahmed struck twice in the powerplay, while Wasim Akram produced a historic spell, including the first wicket maiden by a UAE player in ILT20 history, to dismiss Liam Livingstone for a duck.
Despite the early collapse, Sherfane Rutherford mounted a counterattack with a gritty 44 off 36 balls. He was supported by Alishan Sharafu and later Unmukt Chand, whose 52-run stand with Rutherford steadied the innings. However, regular strikes from Sikandar Raza and Dwaine Pretorius prevented the Knight Riders from building momentum.
A late flourish from Andre Russell and Jason Holder briefly lifted Abu Dhabi’s total, but Adil Rashid cleaned up the tail in the final over to finish with figures of 3 for 18, restricting the Knight Riders to 134 for nine.
In reply, Sharjah lost early wickets as Jason Holder and Ajay Kumar struck inside the powerplay. Tom Kohler-Cadmore anchored the chase with a measured 30, but tight spells from Sunil Narine and Olly Stone kept the scoring in check, leaving the Warriorz 58 for three at the halfway stage.
After Kohler-Cadmore was dismissed, Rew and Raza stitched together a crucial 57-run partnership to bring Sharjah back on track. Raza fell in the 18th over, setting up a nervy finish, with 12 runs required off the final over. Rew, alongside Adil Rashid, calmly guided the Warriorz home on the last delivery.
Adil Rashid was named Player of the Match for his decisive spell at the death. “It was pleasing to contribute in a situation where things could easily have gone the other way,” he said. “Having played against Jason and Andre for a long time helped with the plans.”
Knight Riders captain Jason Holder admitted his side fell short with the bat. “We didn’t put enough runs on the board, although full credit to our bowlers for taking it deep,” he said. “We needed to keep wickets intact in the powerplay.”
Brief scores:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 134/9 (Sherfane Rutherford 44, Unmukt Chand 24; Adil Rashid 3/18, Wasim Akram 2/12, Taskin Ahmed 2/41)
Sharjah Warriorz 135/6 (James Rew 42; Tom Kohler-Cadmore 30, Sikandar Raza 28)
Sharjah Warriorz won by four wickets
