ILT20 | Twitter reacts as MI Emirates cruise to finals thrashing defending champs Gulf Giants

ILT20 | Twitter reacts as MI Emirates cruise to finals thrashing defending champs Gulf Giants

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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MI Emirates beat defending champions Gulf Giants by 45 runs to qualify for the finals of ILT20 2024 in Dubai. Chasing 164, the Giants stumbled against the formidable MIE bowling attack, led by Akeal Hosein and Dwayne Bravo, leading to their defeat in the crucial Qualifier 1.

‌Riding high on a four-match winning streak, Gulf Giants skipper James Vince won the toss and chose to bowl first. Taking advantage of Dubai’s dry pitch, MIE openers Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera made an impressive start, scoring 34/0 in four overs. Despite the great beginning, Gulf Giants’ Daniel Worrall destroyed the Emirates' top order in the fifth over by scalping Waseem and Andre Fletcher in successive deliveries. At the end of the powerplay, MIE had thus scored 45/2. However, Worrall made a triumphant comeback and dismissed Perara too in his next over. After that, Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran built a 45-run partnership propelling the MIE batting to 87/3 in 12 overs. With Pooran gone in the 13th over, Tim David and Bravo couldn't expedite further as Bravo was also dismissed in the 16th. With a clinical bowling display by the Giants in the slog overs, MI skipper Keiron Pollard and David took their side to 163/7 with 38 runs off the last three overs. 

Eyeing the finals spot, Gulf Giants had a dreadful beginning after losing skipper James Vince on the first ball by Akeal Hosein. The woe continued for the Giants as Jordan Cox was dismissed by Muhammad Rohid Khan in the fourth over and Hossein struck again dismissing Chris Lynn. At the end of the powerplay, the Giants struggled at 35/3 with Jamie Smith and Usman Khan at the crease. The Smith-Khan duo failed to propel the Giant's batting further as Smith was scalped by Vijayakanth Viyaskanth in the ninth over. Thereafter, the Giants displayed no intention of constructing a partnership as wickets fell rapidly. With 86/8 in the 15th over, the MIE appeared poised and confident to secure their spot in the tournament finals. The Giants were ultimately bundled out for 118 runs, helping MIE to secure a place in the ILT20 finals. The Giants would now face Dubai Capitals in the Qualifier 2 to be played tomorrow at Sharjah. 

Modern era in cricket!

That's the beauty of cricket!

Ohh nice!

How?? Lol flight se agaya yaar!

Pollard the big man!

What a player he is!

Nice!

Polly for a reason!

Hahaha!

Yeah?

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