Gulf Giants continued their dominant run in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20) as they defeated Desert Vipers by 25 runs in their penultimate league match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, February 4.
The Giants rode on Shimron Hetmyer’s dazzling fifty and captain James Vince’s 23-ball 39 to post 180/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Later, an all-round bowling performance helped the Giants restrict the Vipers to 155/6 and secure another comprehensive victory.
With this massive win, the Adani Sportline-owned Giants have moved back to the top of the ILT20 2023 standings with 14 points from nine matches. Furthermore, both the Giants and the Vipers have now sealed their spots in the top two and will once again face each other in the first qualifier at the same venue on Wednesday, February 8.
Earlier, Desert Vipers captain Colin Munro won the toss and elected to field first. The Vipers made three changes, bringing in Benny Howell, Jake Lintott and Matheesha Pathirana in place of Wanindu Hasaranga, Luke Wood and Gus Atkinson. On the other hand, star all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite replaced youngster Rehan Ahmed in the Giants’ playing XI.
Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Banton and captain James Vince opened the innings for the Giants. The duo forged an impressive 46-run opening stand before an unfortunate run-out forced Banton to depart for an 18-ball 20.
Following Banton’s dismissal, Chris Lynn joined Vince at the crease. Lynn and Vince added 15 runs off 11 balls before the Australian batter was dismissed by Howell for 12.
The Giants soon suffered another massive blow as in-form Vince perished for a well-made 39 off 23 balls. Vince’s innings was laced with three fours and two sixes.
With score reading 81/3 in 8.5 overs, Giants’ flamboyant batter Shimron Hetmyer walked into bat.
From then on, Hetmyer and Gerhard Erasmus steadied the ship with a 48-run stand. However, Erasmus was later dismissed by debutant Lintott for 13.
David Wiese joined Hetmyer in the middle. The pair added 29 runs before Wiese departed for 14.
Meanwhile, Hetmyer continued his scintillating form as he notched up his fifty off just 32 balls. The Caribbean batter was dismissed by Pathirana in the 20th over for 54 off 35 balls.
For the Giants, Brathwaite (6) and Dominic Drakes (2) remained unbeaten as they posted 180/6 in their 20 overs.
Chasing 181, openers Rohan Mustafa and Alex Hales got the Vipers off to a blitzkrieg start as the duo brought up fifty in just 4.1 overs.
Later in the sixth over, Wiese provided the Giants the much-needed breakthrough as he removed Mustafa for 28.
The Giants soon bagged the massive wicket of Hales as 17-year-old Aayan Afzal Khan deceived the England batter to send him back to the pavilion for 26.
Brathwaite added more misery on the Vipers’ batting line-up as he dismissed their captain Munro for 2.
Giants’ all-rounder Erasmus also joined the party as he picked up his first wicket of the match, removing the dangerous Sherfane Rutherford for 2.
Leading wicket-taker in the ILT20, Chris Jordan, continued his superb form as he took the huge wicket of Sam Billings for run-a-ball 22.
Reeling at 88/5, Tom Curran and Benny Howell stitched a decent 34-run partnership before Drakes removed Howell for 19.
While Tom Curran later played an impressive cameo of unbeaten 42 runs off 33 balls, the Vipers fell short by 25 runs.
The Giants will aim to finish the league phase on a high when they lock horns with Sharjah Warriors at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday, February 6.
