NORTH SOUND, Antigua: South Africa had to work hard to earn an 18-run win over the fast-improving United States in the opening game of the Super Eight at the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Andries Gous made an unbeaten 80 off 47 balls for the US — against country of his birth — to move atop the batting chart at the World Cup before South Africa restricted the Americans at 176-6.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada claimed 3-18 and spinner Keshav Maharaj got the prized wicket of US captain Aaron Jones for a duck — no runs — to finish with 1-24.
Quinton de Kock had earlier made a rampant 74 off 40 balls and Heinrich Klaasen provided the perfect finish with 36 not out in the South African total of 194-4 after Jones won the toss and elected to field.
“Pretty happy with the performance as a whole,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “A couple of overs here and there we need to tidy up … but the wicket definitely changes and gets a bit slower, and they were a lot less sloppy.”
Despite four straight wins during the group stage, South Africa had been struggling in the power play throughout the tournament with its top score of 38 in the first six overs against Nepal.
But de Kock opened in friendlier conditions for batters in the West Indies than in the US as he smacked fast bowler Jaspeep Singh for three straight sixes in a 28-run over during the power play that provided South Africa momentum for a big total.
De Kock and Markram (46 off 32 balls) dominated both spinners and the pacers as they raised a solid 110-run stand after Saurabh Netravalkar (2-21) had provided the early breakthrough by getting the wicket of Reeza Hendricks in his second over.
Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh (2-24) got plenty of grip off the slow wicket and squeezed the runs when he had de Kock caught in the deep and then David Miller offered a tame return catch to the spinner off the first ball he faced.
De Kock’s first half-century in the tournament featured five sixes and seven boundaries as he utilized the short boundaries on one side of the wicket with his perfect pull shots before he missed out on Singh’s full toss.
“We’ve had some tricky wickets so it was nice to spend sometime in the middle today,” de Kock said. “The USA put us under pressure toward the end. It was a great game.”
Netravalkar, who bowled a sensational Super Over in the United States’ historic win over heavyweights Pakistan in the group stage, struck immediately in his return spell when Markram was brilliantly caught by diving Ali Khan at deep backward point off a full pitched ball.
But Klaasen used all his T20 experience in the last five overs and struck three sixes while Tristan Stubbs also hit two fours in his 16-ball unbeaten 20 which lifted South Africa total.
Steven Taylor provided the US a confident start with four boundaries and a six in his quickfire knock of 24 off 14 balls before he ballooned a catch at mid-on as Rabada struck twice off his first two overs in the power play.
South Africa pulled back nicely through Maharaj, who had Jones caught behind for a five-ball zero, and when Corey Anderson’s stumps were knocked back by Anrich Nortje in the 10th over, the US still needed 124 for victory.
But Gous and Singh (38) revived US hopes as they came down hard on wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (1-50) and added 91 runs for the sixth-wicket stand. Gous completed his half-century with two successive big sixes against Nortje as the batting pair brought down the target to 28 off the final two overs.
However, Rabada bowled a brilliant penultimate over for just two runs and also had Singh caught at mid-wicket that fizzled out the US hopes of another upset.
“Hard to take a defeat after coming so close,” Jones said. “We did lack discipline in the bowling at times, (but) once we play good cricket we can beat any team in the world. We need to be a lot more disciplined.”
Co-host West Indies and England are the other teams in Super Eights Group 2 and will meet in St. Lucia later Wednesday.
South Africa works hard to beat United States in Super Eight at T20 World Cup
https://arab.news/2jy97
South Africa works hard to beat United States in Super Eight at T20 World Cup
- Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada claimed 3-18 and spinner Keshav Maharaj got the prized wicket of US captain Aaron Jones for a duck — no runs — to finish with 1-24
Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win
- Curran was unbeaten on 42 and Rutherford added 40 off 18 balls as the Vipers reached their target of 120 in 17.4 overs to defeat Gulf Giants
- Bowlers set the tone for the Vipers early, with captain Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Amir dismantling the Giants’ batting order
DUBAI: The Desert Vipers cruised to a six-wicket victory over Gulf Giants in a low-scoring contest at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.
It was a second-consecutive win for the Vipers in the DP World International League T20, with an unbeaten 42-run knock from all-rounder Sam Curran anchoring their chase. Sherfane Rutherford added some fireworks with 40 runs off only 18 balls, helping his side reach their target of 120 in 17.4 overs.
The bowlers set the tone for the Vipers early, as captain Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Amir dismantled the Giants’ batting order.
Ferguson claimed three wickets, Amir two, as the Giants were restricted to 119/9 in 20 overs. Skipper James Vince fought valiantly, scoring an unbeaten 76 off 62 balls, but lacked support as the wickets fell at regular intervals.
His side struggled after losing wickets early on. Amir trapped Adam Lyth LBW in the first over, and Lockie Ferguson removed Rehan Khan and Shimron Hetmyer soon after. By the sixth over, the Giants were reeling at just 32/3.
Wanindu Hasaranga then bowled Ollie Robinson for a duck and as Amir and Ferguson continued to dominate, the Giants limped to 50/6.
Vince provided a measure of stability, however, rotating the strike and finding late boundaries. Aayan Afzal Khan briefly offered some support, contributing 15 runs off 18 balls in a 36-run stand.
But Khan’s dismissal by Luke Wood in the 15th over dashed hopes of a competitive total. Nevertheless, Vince reached his half-century off 47 balls and added crucial runs in the final overs to give his side at least a fighting chance.
Chasing 120, the Vipers faced early setbacks when Mark Adair dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence in the second over. Curran and Alex Hales then managed to steady the ship, adding 49 runs for the third wicket, before Curran let loose in the seventh over, smashing a six and a four off Daniel Worrall. Hales fell for 20 runs off 30 balls and then Azam Khan departed for just seven, leaving the Vipers on 66/4 in 12.2 overs.
But then Curran and Rutherford took control, with the latter hitting two sixes and a four in the 18th over to seal the victory. The former remained unbeaten on 42 from 43 balls, including four fours and a six.
“It is nice to be here for the start of the tournament and it is nice to win on a tricky pitch,” said Curran, who was named player of the match.
“It was almost a bit of a test match out there, trying to trust your defense. I knew they were going to go for their best seam bowlers at the top, so I had to adjust accordingly.”
Reflecting on the defeat, Vince said: “It was a tough gig batting first; there seemed to be a bit more moisture in the wicket than the last game. One-hundred-and-twenty is always going to be tough to defend. We needed a bit of luck going our way on a wicket like that. If we had held onto our chances, it could have been a bit tricky for them.”
Banton, Pooran steer MI Emirates to emphatic 26-run triumph over Dubai Capitals
- Victory at Zayed Cricket Stadium was MI Emirates’ first win of the DP World ILT20 season
ABU DHABI: The MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the DP World ILT20 season against the Dubai Capitals at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday evening.
With half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran, the MI Emirates clinched a 26-run win.
Shai Hope was the star of the match with a magnificent 101 runs in 59 balls, but it was in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The course of the game turned in favor of the MI Emirates with Fazalhaq Farooqi’s over, where he picked up two wickets and conceded just three runs.
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, the MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin. Akeal Hosein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over.
This was when Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but Waqar Salamkheil dropped the sitter. Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
Alzarri Joseph gave the MI Emirates the breakthrough as he bowled Dunk in the sixth over, but Hope motored on at the other end and brought up his 50 in 32 deliveries.
Hope and McMullen put up 61 for the second wicket before the latter was stumped by Pooran. It was a redemption tale for Salamkheil as he finally got his man.
Hope remained unscathed and hit AM Ghazanfar for a four and six as he brought up his T20 career’s second century. This was the first century scored by a Dubai Capitals player and also the third 100 in the history of the DP World ILT20. Hope fell with the next ball.
The momentum swung the MI Emirates’ way thereafter as Farooqi dismissed Sikandar Raza with a toe-crushing yorker. Farooqi made it two in two as he crafted another brilliant yorker to get rid of Dasun Shanaka’s off-stump.
The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb.
Earlier in the evening, the MI Emirates stuttered as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusala Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game.
Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with the MI Emirates putting up 50 for two, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways.
Banton continued to thrive on one end, bringing up his half-century in style as he swept Zahir Khan for a huge six on the leg side to wrap up the 11th over.
Coming in at number four, Pooran joined the party as he clobbered two fours and six sixes in a 29-ball endeavor that yielded 59 runs. Pooran took Olly Stone for three successive sixes in the 15th over.
The skipper began his onslaught with a perfectly timed scoop, the next was a fortunate edge that sailed over the ropes, and the third was a repeat of the first. In pursuit of a fourth consecutive maximum, he holed out to Shanaka at deep midwicket.
Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls.
Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187 for seven.
Expressing his regret on not bringing the Capitals home, centurion Hope said: “A 100 always feels a lot sweeter when you end up on the winning side.
“Just unfortunate I could not get the team there, but we just fell short with the bat. It was a pretty good pitch, and I thought we did well to restrict them to under 200.”
Meanwhile, Player of the Match, Banton remarked: “It was tricky to begin with. We spoke pre-game that someone’s got to bat through the innings. I looked to put pressure back on the bowlers when the ball was in my area.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket here and the wickets are always good. It’s my first year here, I was with MI Cape Town last year. Someone has to put his hand up every game, and today it was me.”
Brief scores:
MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals by 26 runs.
MI Emirates 187-7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 74, Nicholas Pooran 59, Kieron Pollard 22, Gulbadin Naib 3 for 27).
Dubai Capitals 161-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 101, Brandon McMullen 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 22).
Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s heroics seal last-ball victory for Sharjah Warriorz
- Gulf Giants beaten by 3 wickets in thriller
DUBAI: In a thrilling encounter at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s match-winning knock of 83 not out guided the Sharjah Warriorz to a nail-biting three-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants in the DP World ILT20.
The game, which went down to the final delivery, saw Kohler-Cadmore showcase his class and composure as he finished with six fours and four sixes in his 56-ball knock.
Kohler-Cadmore, who scooped the player of the match award, said: “It is great to get off with a win. I would have been devastated had we not got over the line. The pitch played well once you got your eye in; it was easier to hit.”
Chasing 175, the Warriorz faced early setbacks, losing Johnson Charles and Jason Roy in the first two overs to Daniel Worrall and Mark Adair, respectively.
Despite the shaky start, Kohler-Cadmore and the UAE’s Rohan Mustafa steadied the innings with a 105-run partnership. Mustafa contributed a crucial 45 runs off 33 balls before falling to Blessing Muzarabani in the 13th over, leaving the Warriorz on 119-3.
As wickets fell at the other end, Kohler-Cadmore held firm, pacing his innings with precision. After the quick dismissals of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Karim Janat, and Harmeet Singh, the Warriorz required 24 runs off the final two overs.
Adil Rashid’s six in the 19th over helped reduce the equation to 10 off the last six balls. In a dramatic final over, Kohler-Cadmore’s calm ensured the Warriorz crossed the line, securing victory on the last ball.
Earlier in the evening, Sharjah Warriorz’s captain Tim Southee elected to bowl first, a decision vindicated by his impressive figures of three for 30. Southee’s early strikes removed Adam Lyth and James Vince, leaving the Gulf Giants at 41-2 in the powerplay.
Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox then shared in a 57-run stand, with Ahmed scoring 46 off 27 balls and Cox contributing 36 from 23.
Shimron Hetmyer added firepower, hammering 36 off 23 balls, while Mark Adair’s 20 runs and Saghir Khan’s quick 11 off four deliveries lifted the Giants to a competitive 174-7.
Reflecting on the game, Gulf Giants’ captain Vince praised Kohler-Cadmore’s performance.
He said: “I’m pretty happy with that score. There was some quality bowling from them upfront. Rehan and Cox built a good partnership, and Hettie did what he does.
“We thought they would come out strong, and the half chance of Cadmore proved costly. Having someone staying till the end was crucial. He is a quality player, a clean striker of the ball. It was a quality knock.”
Dan Lawrence, Sam Curran lead Desert Vipers to victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
- Emphatic 7-wicket win at the Zayed Cricket Stadium
ABU DHABI: The Desert Vipers began their DP World ILT20 season three campaign with an emphatic seven-wicket victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Star performances from Dan Lawrence and Sam Curran, who struck commanding half-centuries, powered the Vipers to their target of 167 with eight balls to spare.
Lawrence was the star of the show, smashing 70 runs off 39 balls, including four sixes and five boundaries. He was supported by Curran, who remained unbeaten on 50 from 37 deliveries, anchoring the chase with minimal risks and only two fours and a six.
Speaking after the game, player of the match Lawrence had kind words for his experience in the DP World ILT20 so far.
He said: “The situation was quite nice to come into, knowing I had to give myself time. From the hotel to how the coaches treat you, this is probably the most professional set-up.”
The Vipers began their chase strongly, putting on 46 runs in the powerplay.
Fakhar Zaman contributed a quick-fire 23 before being dismissed by Andre Russell, while Alex Hales fell cheaply to Sunil Narine.
At 56-2, Lawrence and Curran joined forces, forging a match-winning 95-run partnership in just 59 balls. Despite Lawrence’s dismissal in the 18th over, the Vipers comfortably reached their target, finishing at 168-3 in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, the Knight Riders’ innings got off to a shaky start after they lost Kyle Mayers and Joe Clarke inside five overs, leaving them 19-2.
However, Phil Salt held the innings together with an unbeaten 71 off 49 balls, supported by Alishan Sharafu’s 46 and a late blitz from Andre Russell, who hammered 30 runs off 14 deliveries. The team finished on 166-5 after 20 overs.
Narine, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ captain, admitted that the early overs proved decisive, adding: “We did well to get back in the game. We had a tough powerplay and we obviously wanted more runs. The key was the difference in the first six overs.”
Desert Vipers will be pleased with the win as they aim to contend for the DP World ILT20 title this season.
Dubai Capitals edge MI Emirates in last-ball thriller to open DP World ILT20 account
- The thrilling encounter marked the narrowest win margin in the tournament’s history
DUBAI: The third season of the DP World ILT20 got going on Saturday with a nail-biting contest as the Dubai Capitals secured a one-run victory over MI Emirates at Dubai International Stadium.
Stellar bowling performances from Gulbadin Naib and Olly Stone turned the tide in a match in which Nicholas Pooran’s impressive 61-run innings was in vain.
The thrilling encounter was the narrowest win margin in the tournament’s history, with MI Emirates falling short despite needing just 16 runs in 15 balls. Naib, who finished with figures of three wickets for 13 runs, and Stone, who claimed two for 14, led the Capitals’ spirited defense.
Sent in to bat, Dubai Capitals posted 133 for 8, recovering from a slow start thanks to Brandon McMullen’s crucial 58 runs off 42 balls.
Rovman Powell chipped in with a valuable 25 runs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout bowler for MI Emirates, delivering a stunning spell of five for 15.
In response, MI Emirates’ chase began disastrously, with Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher falling for ducks to Stone. The team was reeling at 23 for four in just 4.3 overs. Captain Pooran then mounted a rescue mission, supported by Akeal Hosein, as the pair stitched together a 79-run partnership.
Pooran’s intent was clear as he smashed Sikandar Raza for six over mid-wicket and reached his half-century in 36 balls. However, his efforts were undone when Naib dismissed him with a clever slower ball, followed by the wicket of Alzarri Joseph in the same over.
With 13 runs needed off the final over, Kieron Pollard took charge but could manage only 11, handing the Capitals a dramatic last-ball victory.
Reflecting on the game, Player of the Match Naib said: “That is the beauty of cricket and T20. Not a good total on the board, but we defended it, with the guys giving 100 percent. The pitch was helping the bowlers a lot. Not easy for the batters. We just tried to keep it stump to stump, and we did it.
