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Knight Riders upset Gulf Giants in stunning six-wicket showdown
England’s Michael Pepper’s 59 off 40 balls peppered with seven boundaries and three sixes steered Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to a thrilling six-wicket win over defending champions Gulf Giants in Wednesday’s ILT20 match in Abu Dhabi.
The victory has lifted Knight Riders to third place on the table, while Gulf Giants slipped to fourth place.
Gulf Giants were restricted to 161 for 6 despite Chris Lynn’s 67 off 48 balls with six boundaries and three sixes. He had put on 72 runs in 58 balls for the third wicket with Jordan Cox who hit 21 off 27 balls with one boundary and a six.
Lynn also added 39 runs for the fourth wicket with Usman Khan (23).
Chasing the target, Knight Riders needed a good start. Openers Joe Clarke and Pepper provided just that, recording their 50 runs partnership in just 4.1 overs.
Earlier, Knight Riders had won the toss and elected to bowl.
Winning captain Sunil Narine said after the match: “We ticked a lot of boxes. Started with picking up wickets in the powerplay, it sets the tone. We’re getting a bit of momentum, still a bit too close for comfort, we need to win by bigger margins. But a win is a win and we’ll take it.”
Player of the Match Pepper said that not losing wickets in the powerplay helped his team.
“It’s important to always have to take the aggressive option while batting in the powerplay. It’s the best time to bat, pace on the ball and you have to just go for it. Not losing wickets in the powerplay is crucial,” he said.
A disappointed Gulf Giants captain James Vince said: “I thought we actually had a par score. But obviously the start wasn’t ideal, with them being 60 for none inside the powerplay. It put us behind the game, and even though we pulled it back a bit at the end it was always going to be difficult. They bowled pretty well at the end.”
Thursday’s match:
Thursday, February 1, will see Desert Vipers take on Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The match will start at 7pm and will be broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Fans across Afghanistan can however tune in at 6:30 pm to watch the pre-match show.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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