Sharjah Warriorz kept their playoff hopes alive with a nerve-jangling four-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday. The victory lifted the Warriorz to six points and ensured a tight scramble for the remaining playoff spots ILT20 Season 4.The Knight Riders were rocked early after opting to bat, collapsing to 10/4 as Taskin Ahmed and Wasim Akram tore through the top order. Adil Rashid later tightened the noose with a decisive three-wicket haul, limiting the Knight Riders to 134/9 despite Sherfane Rutherford’s lone resistance of 44 off 36 balls.
In response, the Warriorz also endured a shaky start. Jason Holder removed Johnson Charles for a duck, while Ajay Kumar struck soon after to leave them two down early. Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Abell steadied the innings briefly, but disciplined bowling from Sunil Narine and Olly Stone kept the chase under control, with the Warriorz reaching just 58/3 at the halfway mark.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Narine eventually broke the stand by trapping Kohler-Cadmore LBW, but Sikandar Raza kept the Warriorz in the hunt. James Rew then shifted the momentum, counterattacking with timely boundaries and rotating the strike smartly alongside Raza. Their 57-run partnership off 35 balls brought the equation within reach.
James Rew of Sharjah Warriorz plays a shot during Match 25 of the DP World ILT20 between the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and the Sharjah Warriorz
Raza fell in the 18th over, and a superb penultimate over from Holder left 12 needed from the final six balls. Rew, however, held his nerve, finishing unbeaten on 42 off 29 balls, and with support from Rashid, guided the Warriorz home off the final delivery.Earlier, after the early collapse, Sherfane Rutherford and Alishan Sharafu attempted a recovery, but the Knight Riders continued to lose wickets through the middle overs. A late counterattack from Andre Russell and Holder briefly lifted hopes, but Rashid closed out the innings with two wickets in the final over to cap a match-winning all-round display.
Sherfane Rutherford of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders plays a shot during Match 25 of the DP World ILT20 between the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and the Sharjah Warriorz
Player of the Match Rashid credited clear plans and experience against elite finishers for his success at the death. “It was pleasing to contribute in a situation where things could easily have gone the other way, especially bowling the 18th and 20th overs. Having played against Jason and Andre for a long time does help — they’re world-class players — but thankfully the plans came off for me,” said Rashid.Knight Riders captain Holder admitted his side fell short with the bat despite a spirited bowling effort that took the game deep. He said: “We didn’t put enough runs on the board, although full credit goes to our bowlers for the way they fought and took the game deep. We needed a few moments to go our way, particularly keeping wickets intact during the powerplay. Sunil Narine’s spell was vital, and if we had picked up one or two more wickets there, the momentum could have shifted.”
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Brief ScoresAbu Dhabi Knight Riders: 134/9 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 44, Unmukt Chand 24; Adil Rashid 3/18, Wasim Akram 2/12, Taskin Ahmed 2/41)Sharjah Warriorz: 135/6 in 20 overs (James Rew 42 not out, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 30, Sikander Raza 28; Ajay Kumar 2/29, Jason Holder 2/25)