Alex Wharf (England), Shiju Sam (United Arab Emirates), Paul Wilson (Australia, TV)
Referee
Simon Taufel (Australia)
Toss
Sharjah Warriors elected to bowl
Pitch Report
There is a lovely covering of grass. The new ball should be seen off though, but the carry on this surface should be good. Feels like a pitch good for both batters and bowlers.
VENUE STATS
1st Innings
157Avg Runs
6Avg Wkts
134.05Avg
SR
2nd Innings
142Avg Runs
5Avg Wkts
131.8Avg
SR
Weather Update
Weather Update
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
Updated: 06 Feb 23:30
21.8°CClear
clear sky
0%
Clouds
0%
Rain %
48%
Humidity
6.2 kmph
Wind
Playing XILineups Out
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Venue Details
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
There is a lovely covering of grass. The new ball should be seen off though, but the carry on this surface should be good. Feels like a pitch good for both batters and bowlers.
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
10:25 PM local time (11:55 PM IST): Sharjah Warriorz was the better side comprehensively and got the better of MI Emirates to win the game by 6 wickets and with 7 deliveries remaining. The MI Emirates's loss has ensured that the ILT20 will have a new winner and Sharjah Warriorz have a chance at winning the title. For now, I, Keshav, and my co-commentator, Bidipto, take your leave. See you soon again.
Tim Seifert is the Player of the Match: It's always nice to be in a winning position and get across the line. Our bowlers bowled very well to let them get only 150 runs. (On Nicholas Pooran) Unbelievable. First four balls he faced, kinda put pressure on us but we did great to get his wicket. The momentum changed from his wicket. (On Warriorz bowlers) They have unbelievable all tournament and I have been lucky enough to keep. Especially Milne and Southee over the last few years, the way they used the new ball was outstanding to put pressure on the batters straightaway I have played quite a few times (with Tim Southee as a captain). He's done the job for the BlackCaps but it is always nice to play with your fellow mates. I just got to be positive. It's one of those totals that can be a bit tough. They bowled very well. We lost a couple of bang-bang wickets here as well, so it was about putting pressure back on them. A big semi-final, so hopefully we can make it to the final.
Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz captain): We kept taking wickets and importantly, got Nicholas Pooran out at an important time. Glad to get over the line. It was a collective performance by the bowlers. We did make it a little bit difficult for us, but once we had that kind of a start, things got easier, amidst all the nerves of such a big game.
Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates captain): We put ourselves in a hole. 146 on the board is difficult to defend on this surface here in Abu Dhabi. But we have to give credit to the Warriorz, they played really well. We needed to take our chances but on the whole, we didn't have enough on the board. We lost players throughout the tournament, but it was tough. I think it swings around a lot in this tournament, so we need some experience with the bat. The reason Fazalhaq Farooqi was not bowled up front was because of him not taking wickets in the power play. But he bowled excellently for us! So also Tom Banton, who was superb with the bat.
10:15 pm local time (11:45 pm IST): Time for the post-match presentation!
10: 07 PM local time (11:37 PM IST): Sharjah Warriorz won by 6 wickets. They will face Desert Vipers in Qualifier 2.
Nicholas Pooran: 42 (22) | Tim Southee: 2/24 (4) Tim Seifert: 40 (20) | Muhammad Rohid Khan: 3/32 (4)
The Sharjah Warriorz will face the Desert Vipers in Qualifier 2 of the ILT20 tomorrow. The Warriorz have beaten the MI Emirates in back-to-back games in a span of a week. They bowled well in the first innings to restrict the Vipers at 146 runs, albeit the chase wasn't as easy as it should have been.
Johnson Charles gave a cracking start to the Emirates, coming in as an impact sub in the powerplay. Tom-Kohler Cadmore also attacked the loose deliveries alongside Charles and they were off to a flying start. Charles got dismissed in the powerplay after playing his part with a quick-fire innings.
Jason Roy and TKC kept batting at an accelerated pace and the two batters kept cruising towards the target. However, midway they slowed down and few overs later Jason Roy lost his wicket and soon after Matthew Wade got dismissed for a duck. The required rate moved from below 6 runs to beyond it with the fall of these two wickets in Muhammad Rohid's over.
TKC stayed at one end while Seifert played the aggressor to not let the required rate spike all of a sudden. With 23 runs needed, TKC chopped the ball into the stumps in the 17th over and the Emirates were still hopeful of getting back in the game. Few dot deliveries by Rohan Mustafa made the Warriorz dugout a bit tense but Seifert released the pressure with a boundary. With 14 runs needed off 2 overs, Seifert took his side over the line with 7 deliveries remaining.
The Warriorz have a chance of getting into the final and winning the ILT20 title. They have been in a fiery form in the last few games and have the momentum on their side to beat the Vipers.
18.5 Akeal Hosein to Tim Seifert, THAT WILL DO IT FOR SHARJAH WARRIORZ! THEY MOVE THROUGH TO QUALIFIER 2! THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ARE OUT. Length ball around leg-stump from over the wicket. Seifert went down on one knee and hoisted it well over long-leg for six!
18.4 Akeal Hosein to Tim Seifert, FOUR MORE! Length ball on middle-stump. Seifert made room and pumped it on the up over the bowler for a boundary!
18.3 Akeal Hosein to Tim Seifert, short around leg-stump. Seifert punches to mid-off off the backfoot by backing away for no run.
18.2 Akeal Hosein to Tim Seifert, full and flat on the pads. Brilliantly tucked from the front foot to the gap between deep mid-wicket and deep square-leg for a well-judged two!
Tim Seifert has smacked it in the gap between long-on and deep cover. Warriorz need 10 runs off 11 balls.
18.1 Akeal Hosein to Tim Seifert, round the wicket, FOUR RUNS! Full, slow and wide outside off. Slapped off the front foot wide of long-off for a magnificent boundary!
Akeal Hosein [2-0-19-0] is back into the attack
The two dot balls to Rohan Mustafa had put the Warriorz under a bit of pressure. Rohid then bowled a back of a length delivery around the leg-stump and it proved an easy gift for Seifert to pull it through backward-square leg and release the pressure that was built.
18
overs
133/4score
1
0
0
1
4
1
runs
Tim Seifert*
24(15)
Rohan Mustafa
2(7)
Muhammad Rohid Khan
3/32
17.6 Muhammad Rohid Khan to Tim Seifert, good length ball on middle-stump. Tucked around off the hip to fine-leg for one run.
17.5 Muhammad Rohid Khan to Tim Seifert, FOUR WELCOME RUNS! Back of a length on middle-and-leg. Seifert got in line and pulled it to long-leg off the back foot for a boundary!
17.4 Muhammad Rohid Khan to Rohan Mustafa, back of a length on middle-and-leg. Spliced off the back foot over the left of the bowler for a single.
17.3 Muhammad Rohid Khan to Rohan Mustafa, OH! Short and slow over off-stump. Rohan swipes across the line on the back foot and connects with fresh air! Dot ball.
17.2 Muhammad Rohid Khan to Rohan Mustafa, over the wicket, length ball on middle-and-leg. Heaved to the man at short mid-wicket. Rohan wanted a run, Seifert sent him back but a direct-hit to the striker's end would have had him run out!