ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Andre Russell sparkled but only briefly as West Indies players struggled for impact in the International League T20, leaving star-studded Abu Dhabi Knight Riders with a six-wicket defeat to Gulf Giants here yesterday.
Knight Riders were held to a hugely disappointing 114 for nine from their 20 overs despite Russell’s attempt to jumpstart the innings with a 12-ball 26.
Brandon King (4), Akeal Hosein (5) and captain Sunil Narine (11) all failed, Irishman Paul Stirling (20) the only other batsman to reach the 20s, as Barbados-born England seamer Chris Jordan helped wreck the innings with three for 28.
Giants made light of the target, overhauling it with 34 balls to spare with Shimron Hetmyer (14 not out) providing the finishing touches by carting left-arm spinner Hosein over long-on for six to tie the scores before pinching a single to deep square.
Captain James Vince inspired the run chase with 65 from 44 balls, posting 75 for the second wicket before becoming one of three wickets to tumble for one run in the space of four balls, when he was bowled by off-spinner Narine (2-21) in the 12th over.
Fast bowler Ravi Rampul, 38, and Hosein finished with a wicket apiece.
Choosing to bat, Knight Riders had earlier suffered a top order collapse to be 34 for four in the eighth over before Russell arrived to blast a brace of sixes and fours, forming the most productive stand of the innings – 22 for the fifth wicket with Hosein.
Jordan ended Russell’s cameo in the 12th over with a rapid yorker which accounted for the batsman’s off-stump.
The defeat was Knight Riders’ second in as many games.
In Dubai, Evin Lewis failed to score for the second straight innings as his Sharjah Warriors fell to their second successive defeat in a seven-wicket loss to Sherfane Rutherford’s Desert Vipers.
