In a heart-stopping encounter at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday, the Sharjah Warriorz kept their DP World ILT20 playoff dreams burning with a tense four-wicket victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The win, sealed off the very last delivery, propelled the Warriorz to six points, setting up a dramatic final scramble for the remaining postseason spots in the tournament's fourth season.
Early Carnage and Rutherford's Lone Fight
The Knight Riders' decision to bat first backfired spectacularly as their top order was decimated by a fiery opening spell. Taskin Ahmed and Wasim Akram wreaked havoc, reducing the batting side to a precarious 10 for 4 within the powerplay. The innings never truly recovered from this early shock. Sherfane Rutherford provided the only substantial resistance, crafting a fighting 44 runs from 36 balls, but found little support from the other end. The middle overs were tightly controlled, with England leg-spinner Adil Rashid applying a stranglehold, taking a decisive three-wicket haul for just 18 runs. A late flurry from Andre Russell and Jason Holder offered brief hope, but Rashid returned to take two wickets in the final over, restricting the Knight Riders to a below-par 134 for 9.
A Shaky Chase and the Rew-Raza Rescue Act
In response, the Warriorz chase mirrored their opponents' early struggles. Jason Holder struck with the very first ball, dismissing Johnson Charles for a duck, and Ajay Kumar soon added another wicket. At 58 for 3 at the halfway mark, with Sunil Narine and Olly Stone bowling economically, the required rate began to climb. The pressure intensified when Narine trapped the set Tom Kohler-Cadmore (30) LBW. However, Sikandar Raza and young English batter James Rew engineered a brilliant counter-attack. Their partnership of 57 runs from just 35 balls swung the momentum decisively. Rew, in particular, showcased remarkable composure, finding boundaries at crucial junctures and rotating the strike intelligently.
A Final-Over Finish and Playoff Implications
The drama reached its peak in the closing stages. Raza fell in the 18th over, and a superb penultimate over from Holder left the Warriorz needing 12 runs from the final six balls. With nerves fraying, James Rew held his nerve magnificently. Remaining unbeaten on a match-winning 42 from 29 deliveries, he, along with Adil Rashid, guided the team across the line on the final ball, finishing at 135 for 6.
Adil Rashid, named Player of the Match for his all-round show, credited clear planning against world-class finishers. "It was pleasing to contribute in a situation where things could easily have gone the other way," Rashid said, highlighting the challenge of bowling the death overs against players like Russell and Holder.
Knight Riders skipper Jason Holder rued the batting collapse but praised his bowlers. "We didn't put enough runs on the board," Holder admitted. "Full credit to our bowlers for fighting and taking the game deep. We needed a few more wickets in the powerplay."
This result throws the ILT20 playoff race wide open, with the Warriorz now firmly in the mix. The Knight Riders, meanwhile, will reflect on a batting performance that ultimately cost them the match despite a spirited bowling effort.
Brief Scores:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 134/9 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 44; Adil Rashid 3/18, Wasim Akram 2/12).
Sharjah Warriorz: 135/6 in 20 overs (James Rew 42*, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 30; Ajay Kumar 2/29, Jason Holder 2/25).
