DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Captain Kieron Pollard struck a half-century but Gulf Giants survived Shimron Hetmyer’s first-ball ‘duck’ to outclass MI Emirates by four wickets, and surge into tomorrow’s final of the International T20.
Chasing a tricky 168 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday, Giants coasted to their target with 11 balls to spare to set up a championship clash with Sherfane Rutherford’s Desert Vipers, to whom they lost in the first qualifier earlier in the week.
Man-of-the-Match James Vince carried the innings with an unbeaten 83 from 56 deliveries, one of only two batsmen to pass 20 – opener partner Chris Lynn the other one with 24. Sent in earlier, MI Emirates marched to 167 for five from their allotted 20 overs, Pollard belting an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls.
He counted three fours and four sixes in a 71-run, fifth wicket stand with fellow Trinidadian and former West Indies teammate Nicholas Pooran, whose 29 came from 25 balls.
Pollard followed up with a 29-run, unbroken sixth wicket stand off 15 balls with another Trinidadian and former West Indies teammate Dwayne Bravo (2 not out), which rallied Emirates towards the end.
Pollard’s intervention was necessary after the innings slumped to 67 for four at the start of the 11th over, despite opener Muhammad Waseem’s 31 off 26 balls.
In reply, captain Vince smashed 10 fours and a six to inspire a 64-run, opening stand with Lynn before adding a further 27 from the third wicket with Gerhard Erasmus (12).
Hetmyer perished immediately following Erasmus in the 13th over, holing out to fine leg on the hook off 22-year-old left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-27), to leave the chase at 108 for four.
However, Vince remained steady, putting on a further 36 for the fifth wicket with South African David Wiese (15) before another former West Indies star Carlos Brathwaite struck two lusty blows in 13 to help polish off the win.