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ILT20 2023: Sharjah Warriors ends Gulf Giants' unbeaten streak with a clinical win


image-ld9568qeDenly top-scored for his team (PC: Twitter)

Sharjah Warriors put up a clinical performance to beat the table toppers Gulf Giants by 21 runs on Monday, January 23. With this win, the Warriors are well and truly alive in the competition.

Denly starred for Warriors in the first innings

The Warriors got off to a decent start thanks to the efforts of in-form Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) but the latter’s dismissal put the pressure back on his team in the third over of the first innings. Tom Kohler-Cadmore (36) riding on his good run of form, kept playing flashy strokes before losing his wicket in the last over of the powerplay with the score reading 44/2. He was strangled down his leg in the final powerplay over, and after his departure, the Giants kept making regular inroads. Dawid Malan’s poor run of form continued, and he too followed his countrymen to the dressing room with very few runs against his name. Captain Moeen Ali (16) also got out cheaply.

Batting at number 5, Joe Denly (58) stood up for his team with a valiant half-century. While the Warriors kept losing wickets, Denly kept attacking the opposition bowlers to ensure that his side did not get left too far behind. Warriors were in the pole position to launch themselves after the 13th over with Joe Denly and Mohammad Nabi (20) at the crease. But failed to make the most use of the conditions as they could add just 24 runs conceded off the final four overs. Some superb bowling display from the Giants, led by Chris Jordan (3/25) restricted the batting side to an under-par score of 151/7.

Naveen's five-fer steers Warriors to an easy win

image-ld958y40Naveen ended with his best figures in ILT20 (Source: Twitter)

The unbeaten Giants thought they would hunt down this total, back shortly for the second innings, but Warrior bowlers had some plans ready for them. Defending a sub-par total on a good batting surface against a strong and long batting lineup of Giants, Warriors bowlers hit the right note from the first over. 

 Chris Woakes provided the ideal start for the Warriors by picking the wicket of Giants opener Rehna Ahmed in the first over. Giants then dealt a huge blow after in-form James Vince departed in the very next over off the bowling of Naveen-ul-Haq. Tom Banton and Aayan Afzal Khan got out cheaply to leave Giants reeling at 22/4. Things got difficult once they lost Shimron Hetmyer as the fifth wicket fell in the first six overs. 

From there on, Giants needed a miracle to win the game but unfortunately, that didn't happen on the eve. The Giants crumbled to the pressure put up by the bowlers of the Warriors. Wickets fell at regular intervals and this ensured that the former did not get going at all. Naveen-ul-Haq was the wrecker-in-chief for the Warriors with the ball. He claimed his first wicket haul in the tournament- 5/38 to bowl out Giants for 130.

Brief Scores

Sharjah Warriors: 151/7

Joe Denly 58 (43), Tom Kohler-Cadmore 36 (20)
Chris Jordan 3/25, Richard Gleeson 1/27

Gulf Giants: 130/10

Chris Jordan 37 (26), David Wiese 35 (29)
Naveen-ul-Haq 5/38, Chris Woakes 2/11


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