Giants win thriller to seal playoffs berth
February 01 2023 by Cricbuzz Employees
Gulf Giants turned the second group to e book a spot within the playoffs following an exciting last-ball victory towards MI Emirates
Gulf Giants turned the second group to e book a spot within the playoffs following an exciting last-ball victory towards MI Emirates on the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (February 1). MI had been bowled out for 139, dropping their final eight wickets for under 51 runs. The Giants had been comfortably positioned within the chase earlier than they stuttered, regained their footing and nearly obtained over the road with 5 wickets in hand. The victory additionally took the Giants to the highest of the desk.
It was solely a functioning powerplay for the Giants within the chase as they managed 35 within the powerplay, though they didn’t lose any wickets. James Vince and Tom Banton prolonged their partnership to 61 earlier than Jordan Thompson accounted for the previous. Banton departed within the thirteenth over, 5 wanting a half-century, earlier than Chris Lynn struck 4 fours off Thompson within the fifteenth to deliver the equation all the way down to 38 off the final 5 overs.
Gerhard Erasmus, who scored a useful 20 in a 42-run stand with Lynn, was dismissed within the 18th over by Fazalhaq Farooqi, who gave away solely 4 runs within the over. Dwayne Bravo picked up the wicket of Lynn and likewise ran David Wiese out, leaving the Giants needing 11 off the ultimate over. It got here down to a few off the final ball when Shimron Hetmyer despatched a low full toss from Thompson over the deep midwicket fence to seal a nervous win for the Giants.
Earlier, after opting to bowl, the Giants bowlers got here up with a disciplined efficiency to limit MI beneath 140. Dominic Drakes, Wiese and Chris Jordan led the bowling admirably as they struck at common intervals whereas additionally being economical. Rehan Ahmed, regardless of going for 47 runs off his 4 overs, picked up the necessary scalps of Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard which ensured MI’s innings didn’t get any momentum.
Muhammad Waseem scored a 25-ball 29 however he lacked assist from the opposite finish as Andre Fletcher and Basil Hameed had been dismissed cheaply. Pooran and Waseem then tried to offer a base as they placed on a brisk 61-run stand off 46 deliveries. However the set pair departed in successive overs whereas Pollard fell after hitting a 4 and two sixes, leaving MI at 120/5 within the fifteenth over. What adopted was an entire disintegration as MI misplaced their final 5 wickets for the addition of solely 19 runs to be bowled out.
Temporary scores: Mi Emirates 139 in 19.5 overs (Nicholas Pooran 42; Chris Jordan 3-12, David Wiese 2-14) misplaced to Gulf Giants 143/5 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 45; Dwayne Bravo 2-32) by 5 wickets.
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