Leg spinner Adil Rashid bowled out the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for a meager 94 runs in 17.1 overs. Adil Rashid showcased his cunning and artistic ability with the ball backed with clinical precision. His spell of 4 for 12 was simply outstanding as he not only foxed the batters with his variations but made a statement that he is not done yet in the T20 format.
Adil Rashid‘s captivating spell ended both the Knight Riders’ three-match winning streak and the Warriors’ three-match losing streak, allowing them to win by seven wickets. They went from the bottom of the standings to the fourth spot, which has helped them stay in contention to qualify for the playoffs.
Pitch Report and Toss Update
It is anticipated that the Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch will help bowlers to some extent, but batsmen may find it difficult because to its slower pace. But the presence of dew can tip the odds in the batting side’s advantage. Given the conditions, the Sharjah Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl because bowling in the second inning would be more challenging owing to dew.
The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders struggled to put runs on the board after losing wickets at regular intervals
Soon after the bottom-placed Warriors won the toss and chose to bowl against the second-placed Knight Riders, the story of their miserable performance began. With the third ball of the first over, opener Joe Clarke was clean bowled by Chris Woakes, who struck the stumps with ball that passed through the bat and pad gap.
The opening over from Woakes was a wicket-maiden. The fourth over was a maiden bowled by Daniel Sams as well. In the sixth over, Alishan Sharafu smashed two boundaries and a six off Sams to grab 14 runs. Michael Pepper also started announcing himself.
When Sharafu top-edged wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella after trying to sweep Adil Rashid, the two amassed 61 runs off 48 balls for the second wicket. Pepper was clean-bowled for 32 by Adil Rashid’s final delivery in the over. Knight Riders were 68 for 3 at the halfway point, with Sam Hain and Imad Wasim finding difficulties scoring runs.
Adil Rashid cleaned up the middle order of the Knight Riders to bundled out them on a subpar score
In order to complicate things for the Knight Riders, Liam Livingstone had Wasim’s leg before for four. After Hain was caught by Joe Denly at long-off for 8 with the first ball of the thirteenth over, Adil Rashid took his third wicket, sending half the team back into the dug-out at 79. With the following ball, he also got Ravi Bopara out, as Kohler-Cadmore caught him at slip.
Livingstone direct hit Laurie Evans, who got run out for 13. Consequently, Denly’s two rapid strikes returned with figures of 2 for 0, and Knight Riders lost their final four wickets for just four runs.
They were bowled out for a meager total of 94, which was an actual surrender. Adil Rashid was the best bowler for the Sharjah Warriors, registering 4 for 12 from his overs, including a maiden.
Liam Livingstone’s quick-fire innings set the stage for Sharjah Warriors’ victory
Warriors lost captain Kohler-Cadmore early in the chase, allowing Joshua Little to take his wicket for just one run. Against Little, Livingstone started off with a six and a boundary off consecutive balls. Dickwella began to play second fiddle as Livingstone became aggressive.
Livingstone hit Little for two sixes and two boundaries in the fourth over, smashing him for 21 runs. He got out for 30 when wicketkeeper Pepper stumped him off Imad Wasim. He hit three boundaries and three sixes in his 13-ball knock.
Martin Guptill joined Dickwella with 39 runs required from 87 balls, and when Dickwella was stumped by Pepper off Wasim, the score reached 72. Between Guptill (13*) and Denly (18*), they scored the final 23 runs needed to win.
PC: ESPNcricinfo
After all, the surface had helped the spinners, so around the halfway mark the Knight Riders would have been optimistic. Sunil Narine made the unexpected decision to start with pace on both ends, allowing the Warriors’ batters to take the early advantage despite Joshua Little’s early strike. Imad Wasim, brought on as the first change, removed Niroshan Dickwella and Liam Livingstone, but by that point the game was already over.
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