Big hitters Chris Lynn and Shimron Hetmyer power Gulf Giants to another win

Aggressive knocks from Chris Lynn and Shimron Hetmyer helped Gulf Giants chase down Desert Vipers’ mammoth score of 195 for 4 to extend their winning streak in the 12th match of the DP World International League T20 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Gulf Giants recorded their fourth successive victory through a five-wicket win while Desert Vipers crashed to their first defeat despite Alex Hales’ scintillating knock of 99 off 57 balls with 10 boundaries and five sixes. Lynn cracked 71 off 42 balls with eight boundaries and three sixes while Hetmyer smashed 70 off 35 balls with five boundaries and five sixes to win the match with three balls to spare.

Gulf Giants had won the toss and elected to bowl.

Speaking about their performance, Gulf Giants’ Shiron Hetmyer said after the match: “We have to remember what we are doing well and continue to keep doing that in the future. My mind was clear when I walked into bat. I thought that if we could get 40 runs in the powerplay then we would get to our target. I knew that anything could have happened with just one good partnership.”

Meanwhile, Desert Vipers’ head coach James Foster said: “The Gulf Giants bowled exceptionally well during the last four overs of our innings. They used the big boundary to their advantage. I thought Gleeson was outstanding. We showed high levels of quality today, but ended up on the wrong side of the result. They put us under pressure with the bat and at times you just have to tell the opposition well played.”

Rovman Powell and Joe Root power Dubai Capitals to a 16-run victory

In the second match of the day on Sunday, the Dubai Capitals produced a scintillating performance to defeat MI Emirates by 16 runs at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The Capitals put a whopping 222 for three, riding on Rovman Powell and Joe Root’s spectacular half-centuries. Kieron Pollard batted out of his skin to score 86 runs off 38 balls, but the MI Emirates couldn’t find a way to cross the line.

The MI Emirates didn’t get off to the best of starts as they lost Muhammad Waseem, Will Smeed and Nicholas Pooran with just 26 runs on the board. However, the MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard didn’t lose hope. He smashed Akif Raja for a six and a four and kept the MI team in the game at 83 for three at the end of the twelfth over. Pollard got on a roll and kept striking boundaries as he brought up his half-century in just 27 balls.

After the match, Dubai Capitals’ Pravin Amre said: “It was a really good wicket to bat on. We knew that we needed to get 20 extra runs. Rovman played very well and his innings was so crucial for us. His innings was a treat to watch. It was important for us to get the win and we played special cricket today.”

Meanwhile, Nicholas Pooran said, “It was always going to be challenging to chase down 222. Pollard and Najibullah Zadran played wonderfully, but it was always going to be tough. But if we are going to lose like this, we really don’t mind it.”

The DP World ILT20 made its debut at the Dubai International Stadium on 13 January 2023 and some of the greatest cricketing superstars have made their way to the UAE to play in the inaugural edition of the league. The tournament will be played in a 34-match format across the UAE’s exemplary, world-class cricket facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Franchise teams, comprising over 100 International and 24 UAE-based players, include Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can catch the LIVE telecast of this exciting cricket league on Ariana Television.

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