The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That brings the curtains on our coverage of this ILT20 contest between the Desert Vipers and the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. For now, it's Soumarya Dutta, taking your leave on behalf of Bidipto Datta. See you soon.
Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain): It's always good to get off to a winning start. Ali bowled magnificently towards the end and that pulled things back a lot! The way Andries Gous played was just brilliant! When the boss (Shah Rukh Khan) comes, you put up a good show! He doesn't come for every game but whenever he does, the encouragement is full on!
Andries Gous, Player of the Match- I think this innings will be right up there among my best as they've got an extremely good bowling attack.I have grown up in South Africa but am based currently out of USA, in Dallas Texas. It's been a great experience being a part of this squad and they're one of the most successful IPL franchieses. I hope that I can play the World Cup for USA in the coming days and we will have to see as to how that plays out.
Colin Munro (Desert Vipers captain): I thought we were 20 runs short and would have liked to get to 180 runs. That would have made the story different for sure. Ali Khan bowled really well and on that good strip, got the ball to tail quite a lot. Credit to Andries Gous, he targeted the short boundary and made this knock count.
It is now time for the post-match presentation!
Abu Dhabi Knight RIders 166/4 in 17.4 overs Andries Gous 95*(50) | Tymal Mills 2/21 Michael-Kyle Pepper 38(25) |Dan Lawrence 1/12
Right so, it was a bit of an anti-climax in the end as Andries Gous remained stranded on 95 but the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will be thrilled at having won this game by six wickets. It was a comprehensive effort from them with both the bat and the ball and they've humbled a strong Desert Vipers side by chasing down 165 in just 17.4 overs. It will be a massive boost for them going forward in the tournament as theyve managed to kick start their campaign in style.
The Knight Riders didn't have a great start early on as Sharafu departed cheaply but Gous and Pepper put on an absolute show with the bat in the powerplay and they took the game away from the opposition with their dynamic strokeplay. Pepper "peppered' the off side while Gous was severe on anything that was short. The pair put on 85 runs for the second wicket before they lost a couple of quick wickets which stifled things a bit for them.
Laurie Evans came in at that stage and he gave good company to Gous who went berserk after crossing the 50 run mark. In the end, it was an easy win for the Knight Riders as it was Imad Wasim who finished things off for them with a boundary through the off side.
The bowlers had an off day for the Vipers and there wasn't anything special to write home about from their end. Tymal Mills was the pick of the bowlers as he was superb with his variations and managed to pick up two wickets. Dan Lawrence also picked up a wicket in his short spell. Bas de Leede had a really poor day as he was thumped for 22 runs in one over and it's a game that we would want to forget quickly.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders win by 6 wickets with 14 balls remaining!
17.4 Tymal Mills to Imad Wasim, THAT IS THE MATCH TO THE KNIGHT RIDERS! Full and slow on off-stump. Imad went through with the big shot but got an outside edge on it to the left of third man for a couple of runs. But, did the fielder stop the boundary there? He put in a good effort but his feet were in contact with the rope when the ball was in his hand. And the signal is FOUR RUNS!
17.3 Tymal Mills to Imad Wasim, over the wicket, short over off-stump. Wasim backed away to try and slap it over point but failed to connect.
Imad Wasim, LHB, comes to the crease
Evans wanted to finish things off with the glory shot and he ends up being dismissed. Mills has got the wicket but it has come a bit too late for the Desert Vipers.
17.2 Tymal Mills to Laurie Evans, GOT HIM! Slower ball into the pitch around off-stump. Pulled hard but more from the shoulder of the blade and straight into the safe hands of long-on!
Laurie Evans c Adam Hose b Tymal Mills 21(18b, 2x4, 1x6)
17.1 Tymal Mills to Andries Gous, round the wicket, short around off-stump. A short-arm pull down to long-on on the back foot for a single.
Gous is on 94 now and his team is only four runs away from the win. It is obviously going to be a formality for them but he still has the chance of getting to his hundred if he can finish things off with a big one.
17
overs
161/3score
1
1
1
0
1
0
runs
Laurie Evans*
21(17)
Andries Gous
94(49)
Wanindu Hasaranga
0/38
16.6 Wanindu Hasaranga to Laurie Evans, good length googly bowled slower through the air on middle-stump. Evans tried to whack it through cover but inside edged it on to the pads. No run.
16.5 Wanindu Hasaranga to Andries Gous, short around off-stump. Bunted down to long-off off the back foot for a single.
16.4 Wanindu Hasaranga to Andries Gous, short on off-stump and bowled quicker through the air. Tapped to the left of the bowler on the back foot, no run.
16.3 Wanindu Hasaranga to Laurie Evans, good length ball on off-stump. Dragged down to long-on on the charge for a single.
16.2 Wanindu Hasaranga to Andries Gous, short on off-stump. Punched down to long-on off the back foot for a single here.
16.1 Wanindu Hasaranga to Laurie Evans, over the wicket, short on off-stump. Cut late to backward point off the back foot for a single against the turn.