Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Pic Credits: X

ILT20 2025 : Tom Kohler-Cadmore Shines As Sharjah Warriors Snatch Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat In A Nerve Wrecking Last-Ball Thriller Against Gulf Giants

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Sharjah Warriorz opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore batted out the run-chase to steer his team to a clinical last-ball win over Gulf Giants in match number three of the ILT20 2025 season. Warriorz captain Tim Southee laid out the early foundation for his side, albeit with the ball by making full use of the early movement on offer. English batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore produced a superlative knock as Sharjah Warriorz overcame Gulf Giants in a last-ball thriller at the ILT20 on Sunday.

Under the dazzling Ring of Fire at Dubai International Stadium, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (83 not out off 56 balls, 6 fours, 4 sixes) held his nerve, mixing caution with aggression as he dragged his team over the line despite losing wickets at regular intervals at the other end. Thanks to his brilliance, the Warriorz chased down 174 on the final ball of their innings for a thrilling three-wicket win.

Pitch Report and Toss

Pitch Report : Slow and flat wicket at the Dubai International Stadium will aid spinners mainly, with pacers having to put in the hard yards. Toss won’t be a major factor here as the teams batting first have won 45 matches compared to 47 that were won by the chasing teams. The wicket is expected to stay true to its nature, with runs scoring not being so difficult at this venue.

Sunday will see the typical Dubai weather with sunny skies and temperatures ranging from 18 to 24 degrees, and barely any chance of rain. Therefore, we can expect a full game of cricket with no interruptions.

Toss : Sharjah Warriorz skipper Tim Southee won the toss and chose to bowl with few new faces and experience in the playing XI. Gulf Giants skipper James Vince batting first have players like Tymal Mills and Ollie Robinson in the playing XI.

Rehan Ahmed, Jordan Cox  Rescue Giants After Southee’s Opening Burst

Earlier, Gulf Giants struggled to find momentum after being put into bat. Sharjah Warriorz captain Tim Southee led from the front, dismissing Adam Lyth and James Vince in the powerplay. Rehan Ahmed (46 off 27) and Jordan Cox (38 off 32) rebuilt the innings with a 57-run partnership, steering the Giants to 102/4 by the 14th over.

Sharjah Warriorz captain and new ball paceman Tim Southee got the early swing to topple his Gulf Giants counterpart and opening batter James Vince within the first over of the match. Southee also removed Adam Lyth for 11 inside the opening powerplay.

Gulf Giants Batting Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo
Gulf Giants Batting Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo

Tottering at 27-2 in 4.2 overs, middle-order batters Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox counterattacked the Warriorz with a swift 57-run partnership for the third wicket. Ahmed unleashed 46 quick runs from just 27 balls with five boundaries and two sixes before he was holed out by Keemo Paul off Harmeet Singh at 84-3 in the 11th over of the match.

Jordan Cox (38 off 32) was deceived by Adam Milne with a slower delivery shortly after the Giants crossed the 100-run mark. While Ollie Robinson at number six was knocked over by Muhammad Jawad Ullah for a sluggish five, fellow middle-order batter Shimron Hetmyer punched out a sizzling cameo during the slog overs of the innings.

Sharjah Warriors Bowling Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo
Sharjah Warriors Bowling Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo

Shimron Hetmyer launched five boundaries and a six in his 23-ball 36 before becoming the third of Tim Southee’s three victims of the day. Moreover, Adair’s 10-ball 20* and Saghir Khan’s four-ball 11 turbo-charged the Gulf Giants innings to a competitive 174-7 by the completion of their 20 overs.

Shimron Hetmyer provided a late surge, smashing 36 off 23 balls, including five fours and a six. Mark Adair’s quick-fire 20 not out off 10 deliveries and Saghir Khan’s cameo of 11 runs off four balls pushed the Giants to a competitive total of 174/7. Southee was the standout bowler for the Warriorz, finishing with 3/30.

Unbeaten Tom Kohler-Cadmore Seals Nervy Last-Ball Win for Sharjah Warriorz

Chasing 175, the Warriorz had a shaky start, losing Johnson Charles in the opening over to Daniel Worrall and Jason Roy in the second to Mark Adair. However, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Mustafa stabilized the innings with an aggressive yet calculated approach, guiding their team to 55/2 by the end of the powerplay.

Chasing 175 for a win, Sharjah Warriorz lost Johnson Charles (12 off four) to Daniel Worrall inside the opening over, and number three Jason Roy for a two-ball duck to Mark Adair to slip to 14-2 early in the innings.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore brought up his half-century off just 32 balls, showcasing his ability to find boundaries with ease. Mustafa provided steady support before falling to Blessing Muzarabani in the 13th over, leaving the Warriorz at 119/3.

Sharjah Warriors Batting Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo
Sharjah Warriors Batting Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo

Overcoming early jitters, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and number four Rohan Mustafa blazed the Warriorz past the 100-run mark with an attacking 105-run partnership from just 66 balls. Mustafa chipped in with 45 of those runs off 33 deliveries with three boundaries and two sixes before the senior UAE all-rounder fell to a length ball from Blessing Muzarabani at 119-3.

Rohan Mustafa’s untimely dismissal triggered a colossal middle-order collapse for the Sharjah Warriorz, as they slipped from 119-2 to 148-7 over the next five overs. Mark Adair and Blessing Muzarabani picked up an additional wicket each during this brief period to finish their four-over spells with identical figures, reading 2-23 and 2-27 respectively.

Gulf Giants Bowling Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo
Gulf Giants Bowling Line Up. Pic Credits: ESPNcricinfo

Rehan Ahmed and Tymal Mills got rid of dangermen Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Karim Janat respectively as the Gulf Giants clawed their way back into the game.

The middle order faltered under pressure, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Karim Janat departing cheaply. Keemo Paul offered a glimmer of hope with a brisk 11 off five balls, but his stay was cut short by Muzarabani. As wickets tumbled, the Warriorz needed 24 runs from the final two overs.

Adil Rashid struck a vital six in the 19th over, which yielded 14 runs and brought the target within touching distance. With 10 runs required from the last over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore held his nerve, smashing crucial boundaries to seal the victory.

However, a resolute Tom Kohler-Cadmore successfully guarded his end of the crease to steer his team to a thrilling three-wicket win off the last ball of the match. The unbeaten opener top-scored with 83* regal runs from just 56 balls, and was fittingly rewarded with a ‘Player of the Match’ award for his run-chase perfection.

Presentations and Road Ahead

Tim Southee the winning Sharjah Warriorz skipper said : Nice close one, good to be on the right side of this one early in the tournament. I thought we conceded 5-10 too much in the end, but the way TKC batted was brilliant. We have a deep batting line-up, and you see the value of taking wickets consistently. Nice to get on the right side of this result though. Last night there was more swing, it nipped a bit more. This was a better wicket.

James Vince the losing Gulf Giants skipper said : Pretty happy with that score. There was some quality bowling from them upfront. Rehan and Cox built a good partnership, and Hettie did what he does. We thought they would come out strong, and the half chance of TKC proved costly. Having someone staying till the end was crucial. He is a quality player, clean striker of the ball. It was a quality knock.

Rehan was outstanding, put the bowlers under pressure. We have him for a short period of time only. It was Andy’s call to use him at 3. It was a tough night for spin, I asked Rehan if he was comfortable but we felt they have had a good look at him. So we thought Aayan had a good chance, he bowled well with those yorkers.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore Player of the Match for his 83* said : It was great to get off with a start. Would have been devasted if we messed that up. Wanted to take full responsibility for the last over. Knew I needed one six, and that last over Aayan didn’t miss by much. Outstanding to see someone bowl such a clutch over. Some swing early on, but I thought it was a really nice cricket wicket. It was a nice chill build-up to this tournament, we got here a week ago and have been bonding well.

A dramatic evening at the Dubai International Stadium ended with the Sharjah Warriorz securing a thrilling three-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants in a nail-biting finish on Sunday. The hero of the match was Tom Kohler-Cadmore, whose unbeaten 83 off 56 balls steered the Warriorz to their target of 175 on the very last delivery of the match.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s sublime knock, studded with six fours and four sixes, was complemented by a crucial contribution from UAE all-rounder Rohan Mustafa, who scored 45 off 33 balls. The duo forged a 105-run partnership that formed the backbone of the chase, propelling the Warriorz to a strong position despite some tense moments in the final overs.

What a thriller we’ve had here in Dubai! Yesterday was a low scoring game, today proved to be a high scoring thriller that went right down to the wire. Just like the first innings, the batters struggled against the swinging ball in the powerplay. Jason Roy was out for a duck and Charles got a quick cameo before he was dismissed as well. Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Rohan Mustafa though steadied the ship. The former played the role of attacker while Mustafa settled in, as they got a partnership in excess of 100 runs.

It looked at one stage that the duo would cruise the Warriorz home, but Mustafa’s wicket triggered a mini collapse. Couple more quick wickets followed and the chasing side needed 10 off the last over. The young shoulders of Aayan Khan were tasked with the final over, and he nailed four out of his six yorkers. The other team ended up being low full tosses – one of which was hit for a six and the other for a double to ensure a last ball chase for Sharjah Warriorz. Tom Kohler-Cadmore the hero for them, stays unbeaten on 83.

So a last ball victory here for Sharjah Warriorz to get them up and running in their season opener. The result marked a memorable start for the Sharjah Warriorz, who showcased resilience and brilliance under pressure to claim victory in this electrifying contest.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights

 

 


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