Our Gulf Giants have made a memorable comeback in the DP World ILT20 with a commanding win against the Sharjah Warriors. This victory was crucial for us to stay in the competition after facing defeats in our previous two games. Both our batting and bowling performed well in this important match, and we aim to carry this form into upcoming games to secure a spot in the Playoffs.

The match got off to a shaky start for us, as Jamie Smith got out early. However, skipper James Vince and the ever-reliable Chris Lynn steadied the ship with a 66-run partnership. Just when it looked like we were set for a huge total, Sean Williams dismissed Vince, Lynn, and Jordan Cox in quick succession, putting us in a tough spot. Shimron Hetmyer, who showed some form in the last game, then played a fantastic innings, scoring a brilliant unbeaten 53 runs off just 28 balls. His knock included hitting 26 runs in an over off Williams. Jamie Overton's contribution of 25 runs off 15 balls helped us reach a total of 187 runs in our 20 overs.

Aayan Khan then provided a perfect start by dismissing Niroshan Dickwella and Joe Denly off the first two deliveries of the second innings. Although Sharjah Warriors' skipper Tom-Kohler Cadmore played a quick innings, our bowlers, led by youngster Zuhaib Zubair, took wickets at regular intervals. Zubair's 4-wicket haul set a record for the best figures in the ILT20 by a UAE player. Chris Jordan sealed the win with a terrific catch off his own bowling. It was a significant victory, and we are delighted to be back in the tournament.

The team is thrilled with this win, and we are confident of maintaining the momentum in the next game against the Dubai Capitals at their home ground on Tuesday, 6th February. We defeated them last time around and we hope to continue that in the next game.