The Adani Sportsline-owned Gulf Giants registered their fourth consecutive victory in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20) as they defeated Desert Vipers by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, January 22.
Chasing 196, the Giants rode on scintillating fifties from Chris Lynn (71) and Shimron Hetmyer (70) to chase down the target in 19.3 overs. Earlier, Alex Hales’ 57-ball 99 powered the Vipers to 195/4 in their 20 overs.
The James Vince-led Giants won the toss and opted to field first. The Giants made two changes, bringing in wicketkeeper-batter Tom Banton and bowling all-rounder Aayan Afzal Khan in place of Gerhard Erasmus and Ashwanth Valthapa. On the other hand, the Vipers named an unchanged side from their last game.
Rohan Mustafa and in-form Alex Hales got the Vipers off to a brilliant start. The duo forged an impressive 72-run stand for the opening partnership before left-arm spinner Liam Dawson provided the much-needed breakthrough for the Giants. Dawson, with the help of a fine stumping by Banton, dismissed southpaw Mustafa for a 16-ball 23.
Following Mustafa’s dismissal, the Vipers captain Colin Munro joined Hales at the crease.
Meanwhile, the leading run-scorer of ILT20, Hales continued his sensational form as he notched up his fifty off just 26 balls. Interestingly, this was Hales’ fourth successive fifty-plus score in the inaugural ILT20.
Hales and Munro stitched a sensible partnership for the second wicket as the duo brought up Vipers’ hundred in just 9.5 overs.
Both the batters looked in great touch as they added 67 runs off 43 balls before Giants’ fast bowler Richard Gleeson removed skipper Munro for 39.
Sherfane Rutherford joined Hales as the duo piled more pressure on the Giants’ bowling line-up.
Aiming to get back into the game, Chris Jordan later provided the Giants a massive breakthrough as he dismissed Hales for 99. Hales, who was looking to smash back-to-back ILT20 hundreds, was caught at deep cover by Shimron Hetmyer.
In the very next ball at the start of the 18th over, Giants’ star all-rounder David Wiese joined the party as he cleaned up Tom Curran for a golden duck.
Rutherford (21 not out) and Sam Billings (3 not not) guided the Vipers to 195/4 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chasing a steep target, the Giants suffered early blow as they lost in-form Vince for 4 in the first over of the run-chase.
Chris Lynn joined Tom Banton at the crease. The Australian flamboyant batter tried to put pressure back on the bowlers as he slammed three fours and one six before his partner Banton departed for 3.
The 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed was soon back in the pavilion as he perished to Vipers’ star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for 1.
Reeling at 30/3, Lynn and Hetmyer played some attacking cricket as the duo registered a quick-fire 50-run partnership to keep the Giants in the chase.
The dynamic duo kept smashing the bowlers to all parts of the ground to notch up their respective half-centuries and also bring the Giants back into the game. While Lynn recorded his half-century off 28 balls, Hetmyer brought his fifty in 30 balls.
However, Vipers left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell ended the incredible 117-run stand as he dismissed his compatriot Hetmyer for a blitzkrieg 35-ball 70.
In the 17th over, Gus Atkinson bagged another massive wicket for the Vipers as he removed dangerous Lynn for 71 off 42 balls.
With 27 runs required off the final three overs, all-rounders Wiese (22) and Dawson (16) played impressive cameos to help the Giants chase down the total with three balls to spare.
Having registered their fourth win on the trot, the Giants once again jumped to the top of the ILT20 2023 standings with eight points on the board.
In-form Giants will aim to extend their winning streak when they square off against the Sharjah Warriors at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday, January 23.
