ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, CMC-In a tension-soaked, low-scoring classic at the Zayed Cricket Stadium here on Monday, the Sharjah Warriorz snatched a dramatic four-wicket victory off the very last ball against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, injecting high drama into the DP World ILT20 playoff race.
Chasing a modest 135, the Warriorz’ innings mirrored the Knight Riders’ own stuttering progress, culminating in a nerve-shredding finale.
Requiring 12 runs from the final over, the cool-headed duo of James Rew and Adil Rashid managed to scrape home, with Rew sealing the win with a decisive final stroke to finish on an unbeaten 42 from just 29 balls.
The victory, powered by Rew’s composure and a vital 57-run partnership with Sikandar Raza, who made 28, lifts the Warriorz to six points, setting up a ferocious battle for the remaining postseason spots with two group games left.
The match was decisively shaped in the power play of the first innings, where the Warriorz’ new-ball attack wreaked havoc.
Taskin Ahmed and Wasim Akram unleashed carnage, reducing the Knight Riders to a disastrous 10-4 inside four overs.
Akram’s wicket maiden to dismiss Liam Livingstone marked the first ever bowled by a UAE player in the league’s history.
A recovery of sorts was mounted by West Indian Sherfane Rutherford, whose combative 44 off 36 balls and a 52-run stand with Unmukt Chand (24) dragged the Knight Riders to respectability.
A late blitz from Andre Russell (18) and Jason Holder (14), who clobbered 25 runs off Taskin’s 19th over, threatened a strong finish.
However, Adil Rashid’s triple-wicket intervention in the death overs, including removing both set hitters, restricted the Knight Riders to 134-9.
In reply, the Warriorz found themselves in similar dire straits at 38-3, stifled by early strikes from Holder and Ajay Kumar. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, 30, and Raza, 28, began the rebuild, but it was the arrival of James Rew that changed the tempo.
Counter-attacking against Russell and rotating strike intelligently, Rew guided his side to the brink before the equation tightened.
Skipper Holder’s superb penultimate over, conceding just three runs, set up a grandstand finish. But Rew, embodying ice-cool temperament, partnered with Rashid to navigate the final six balls and secure a priceless two points for Sharjah, leaving the Knight Riders to rue a top-order collapse that ultimately proved insurmountable.
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