James Vince led the Gulf Giants to put on a clinical show in the opening clash of ILT20 season 2 that demonstrated why they are the defending champions. James Vince marshalled his troops smartly and played a terrific knock of 45 runs in 35 balls and struck 3 fours and 2 huge sixes.
In the inaugural game of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the defending champions, the Gulf Giants, defeated the Sharjah Warriors by an astonishing 31 runs, courtesy of their outstanding batting display and tight bowling performance.
Pitch Report and Toss Update
The pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium had a bit of live grass on it, but it looked like it still had a bit of help for the batters, and defending runs on this pitch became much more difficult, so Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the skipper of the Sharjah Warriors, won the toss and elected to field first.
Jamie Smith and James Vince provided the Giants with a great start
Put in to bat first, the Gulf Giants had a perfect start as their openers put on a great show with the bat. James Vince opened the innings with Jamie Smith and went on to knock the tournament’s first boundary off Chris Woakes’ second ball of the opening over, past mid-off.
Smith lifted Chris Sole in the second-over, over mid-on, for a boundary off the third ball. The fourth delivery was lifted out of the stadium for a tremendous six, while the fifth was cracked past point for another boundary. In addition, Smith took 21 runs off that over by hitting the final ball of the over through mid-wicket for another six.
The 50-run partnership came in 4.5 overs, but Woakes stemmed the run flow in the third over by conceding only four runs, and spinner Maheesh Theekshana did the same, giving only six runs. Smith was also harsh on Daniel Sams, striking him for two consecutive sixes to score 19 runs off the fifth over. Theekshana clean bowled Smith for 42 to halt the 61-run opening stand in the sixth over.
Maheesh Theekshana pulls things back in the middle overs for the Sharjah Warriors
The runs kept coming, with James Vince hoisting Qais for another six over long-off. Gregory caught James Vince at slips for 45 after Theekshana struck again in the 12th over, drawing a slash from James Vince. He hit two sixes and three boundaries in his 35-ball knockoff. With the following ball, he also had a Shimron Hetmyer leg before.
Usman Khan, who joined Cox, made a quick partnership of 26 (11), before Cox got caught behind by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for 32. Usman Khan increased the rate of scoring by hitting three straight boundaries off Sams in the sixteenth over. Usman Khan was caught by Woakes at long off by Theekshana, who took his fourth wicket for 32. He smashed four boundaries and a six in his 18-ball knockoff.
Due to a brilliant spell by Maheesh Theekshana, who claimed four wickets in a day after taking four wickets for Sri Lanka in an international match, the Sharjah Warriors were able to rally in the middle overs. The bowling attack did not perform up to par, as Usman Khan’s cameo sent the Giants dangerously close to reaching the 200-run threshold.
A fantastic beginning to the Sharjah Warriors’ run-chase
Martin Guptill and Johnson Charles gave the Warriors a great start as they started the chase. Even though Guptill only hit a boundary off Richard Gleeson in the opening over, runs continued to flow in the next overs. Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped Charles in the second over of the inning when he was on two runs.
In the third over, Charles hit Geelson for a boundary and six, while Guptill hit Mujeeb Ur Rehman for two straight boundaries. Jordan dropped Guptill, who was on 18, off Dominic Drakes from long range. They combined for 50 runs in 5.4 overs.
The fielding effort from the Giants was not up to par, as they dropped the chances of both openers within the first six overs, which eventually led the Warriors to a much-needed opening stand of 93 (63).
Jamie Overton turns things around for the Giants during the middle overs
The two proceeded to score ninety-three runs in ten and three overs before Guptill hit Jamie Overton to Gleeson at the third-man boundary. Charles scored six boundaries and two sixes in 34 balls to get his half century.
Charles hit a six-over long-on to push the scoring above 100 runs in 12.1 overs. Charles perished at 57 to a slower delivery from Overton, which was taken by Usman Khan at deep midwicket.
In the fifteenth over, James Vince made a running catch to give the Drakes the crucial wicket of captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore for just 19. The Warriors needed seventy runs in the final five overs. Once more, Overton impressed by cleanly dismissing Daniel Sams with a yorker to complete his four wickets. This decided the game in the Giants’ favor.
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