Gulf Giants stay alive in DP World ILT20 playoff race after win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

Gulf Giants stay alive in DP World ILT20 playoff race after win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
Dan Worral of Gulf Giants celebrates the wicket of Kyle Mayers during the DP World ILT20 win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. (Pankaj Nangia/ILT20)
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Updated 02 February 2025
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Gulf Giants stay alive in DP World ILT20 playoff race after win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

Gulf Giants stay alive in DP World ILT20 playoff race after win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
  • The Giants won by 7 wickets to sit 3rd in the table after 10 matches

ABU DHABI: The Gulf Giants returned to winning ways as they coasted to a seven-wicket win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the DP World ILT20 clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The win sees the Giants climb to third in the table and gives a welcome boost to their playoff chances. The result also confirms the MI Emirates join the Desert Vipers as playoff qualifiers.

Needing a win to keep their competition hopes alive, the Gulf Giants were brilliant with the ball as they stifled the Knight Riders for 123. In response, they rode on a superb 70-run partnership between Gerhard Erasmus and Tom Curran and some late pinch-hitting from Shimron Hetmyer to clinch the victory.

The Giants were off the blocks well in what appeared to be a straightforward chase. However, David Willey worked his magic as he picked up two wickets in as many deliveries to put the opposition in a worrisome spot. James Vince played the ball onto his stumps to depart for seven and Willey trapped Jordan Cox LBW on the next to give his side a fighting chance. The Giants scored 27/2 in the powerplay, just three runs more than their opponents at the same stage. A disciplined bowling effort from Willey and Sunil Narine curtailed the Giants’ batting as they were restricted to 50/2 at the halfway point.

But it was just a matter of time before Erasmus and Curran found their groove, which happened in the 11th over. Curran let loose as he hit Andre Russell for a four, a six and another four to amass 17 much-needed runs. That gave the Giants the impetus they needed as they got 12 more runs off Terrance Hinds in the 13th.

The Giants were on track at this point, at 82/2, and needed a run per ball from the remaining seven overs. An impressive 70-run partnership between Curran and Erasmus came to an end when Jason Holder found the breakthrough in the 15th over. Erasmus was caught at mid-off, but Hetmyer joined Curran and made his intentions clear early on with a superb boundary. Narine, uncharacteristically, gave away four runs in extras as the Giants inched closer to the target.

Hetmyer displayed his big-hitting skills as he clobbered Irbar Ahmad for a maximum over deep midwicket and subsequently hit the winning runs to seal a remarkable victory for the Gulf Giants.

Earlier, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders made a poor start when they lost both their openers — Kyle Mayers and Andries Gous — inside the opening three overs. Each made one run as the Knight Riders limped to 4/2. Roston Chase offered some hope as he struck a few boundaries to lead them to 24/2 at the end of the powerplay.

He departed for 15 soon after to Blessing Muzarabani, and Willey entered the fray. The Englishman steadied the ship and teamed up with Joe Clarke to put up 29 runs for the fourth wicket. The runs, though, were hard to come by as the Knight Riders went through four overs without a boundary. They were precariously placed at 55/3 after 12 overs when Clarke fell to Chris Jordan.

The Knight Riders made plenty of changes to their batting order. Russell came in next, his arrival seeming to swing the fortunes in his side’s favor as Willey launched two massive sixes before Russell hit a couple of boundaries. However, his stay at the crease was cut when Curran dismissed him for 15.

With five overs to go, the Knight Riders were at 80/5 and in dire need of some quick runs to put up a competitive total. Willey shouldered the responsibility and hit Mark Adair for a six, but the Irishman struck back on the next delivery. Willey’s resolute display ended after a crucial 41 off 29 deliveries.

Alishan Sharafu, the local boy who has been among the Riders’ better batsmen this season, was tasked with steering his side at the death overs. He got off the mark with a boundary, but the runs then dried up as his team managed just three boundaries in the final four overs to put up a modest total of 123.

Sunil Narine, captain of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, said: “I think they bowled brilliantly and used the conditions to their advantage. We tried to take as many wickets as possible in the powerplay. We couldn’t take many wickets in the middle overs and it became easier for them. Jason Holder has been doing a fantastic job with the bat and the ball. He assessed the conditions as best as possible. We are on the backfoot, but we will be looking forward to that Mumbai-Sharjah game and are hoping for the best.”

Player of the Match Dan Worrall said: “Opening the bowling with Mark, we had to get us off to a good start. Our bowling group prides itself on diversity. Left arm, right arm, tall and short, we have a bit of everything. We’re glad that we’ve at least given ourselves a fighting chance. We’ll be crossing our fingers for the next couple of days.”

Brief scores

Gulf Giants beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by seven wickets

Gulf Giants 124/3 in 17.5 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 47, Tom Curran 38 not out, Shimron Hetmyer 20 not out, David Willey 2 for 17, Jason Holder 1 for 17)

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 123-7 in 20 overs (David Willey 41, Alishan Sharafu 21 not out, Chris Jordan 2 for 20, Mark Adair 2 for 25, Dan Worrall 1 for 13)

Player of the Match: Dan Worrall


India’s cup overflows after New Zealand win, but dominance could breed antipathy

India’s cup overflows after New Zealand win, but dominance could breed antipathy
Updated 13 March 2025
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India’s cup overflows after New Zealand win, but dominance could breed antipathy

India’s cup overflows after New Zealand win, but dominance could breed antipathy
  • The Champions Trophy joins the T20 World Cup, earned in June 2024 when they beat South Africa by just 7 runs

When previewing the International Cricket Council’s 2025 Champions Trophy for Arab News, Azeem Rafiq felt that India started as slight favorites. As the tournament progressed, it became apparent that several factors underlined that initial assessment. India’s superiority and team cohesion was sufficient to achieve an unbeaten route to the final in which a tenacious New Zealand was narrowly beaten.

Understandably, the Indian team, officials, management and millions of fervent supporters were overjoyed. Their delight is enhanced as the Champions Trophy is now added to the T20 World Cup, secured in June 2024 when South Africa was beaten by the narrow margin of seven runs.

No doubt Indian eyes will now turn to planning victory in the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka from mid-February to mid-March. If it had not been for an inspired performance by Australia in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, the Indian men’s team would hold a full set of ICC trophies in the short formats.

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that India and its supporters want to win every tournament, befitting their status as cricket’s powerhouse in terms of revenue generation and levels of support. Dominance by one team in any sport tends to breed ennui and antipathy — just ask supporters of other English Premier League teams their views on the dominance displayed by the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool at various times. These feelings are exacerbated if accompanied by a sense of injustice or bias and there is a danger India’s most recent success could fall into that category.

The resurrection of the Champions Trophy by the ICC and its choosing Pakistan as hosts was designed to provide a boost for cricket in the country. It certainly provided grounds for optimism and, as Rafiq noted, Pakistan’s message to the world was: “We are back.” However, the vibes were dampened by disappointing cricket from the hosts, by three matches lost to rain and by the geo-politically induced decision to split the tournament between Pakistan and Dubai.

Much has been made of India playing all their matches in Dubai, of being based there and not having to travel, of being familiar with the pitches and tailoring team selection to include four spinners to take advantage of them. Naturally, the Indians have downplayed these alleged benefits, one coach saying that “you (still) have to play good cricket every day when you turn up.” Whilst this is self-evidently true and they were the best team, India avoided the farcical situation in which Australia and South Africa found themselves.

Having completed their group stage matches and qualified for the semifinals, both teams had to fly from Pakistan to Dubai where the result of the final group stage match between India and New Zealand would determine the semifinal pairings. India won, which meant Australia remained in Dubai and the South Africans ended an 18-hour stay by rushing back to Lahore to play New Zealand. The reason given for this bizarre decision was to allow the team playing the semifinal in Dubai maximum time to prepare. This feels like a tacit admission of the need to balance out India’s perceived advantage.

Pakistan’s disappointment in failing to reach the semifinal stage, thereby depriving the country of the global exposure which it craved, was made worse by losing the opportunity to host the final, because India reached it. Events at the presentation ceremony will not have eased Pakistan’s pain.

Legendary former Pakistan players Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar were incredulous there was no representative from the Pakistan Cricket Board on the stage, which was populated by Indians. The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Roger Binny, presented jackets to the Indian players and the former BCCI secretary, now ICC chair Jay Shah, presented the trophy to India’s captain.

It is understood the PCB’s chair, Mohsin Naqvi, could not attend the occasion due to prior commitments, but both the tournament director and PCB COO, Sumair Ahmed Syed, and Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla represented him at the match. Looking at the stage in Dubai, it was hard to believe the PCB was the tournament’s official host. The PCB interpreted this lack of representation as a deliberate snub and lodged an official complaint, which is unlikely to do more than further inflame tensions. The official line is that protocol allows only elected members or directors of a board to be on the podium.

The 2025 Champions Trophy provided a significant opportunity for Pakistan to re-establish itself as a viable host for future ICC events. This was partially achieved. The PCB’s investment in stadiums has gone largely unrewarded in terms of spectator numbers. Despite Naqvi’s fulsome praise for “the commitment and collective efforts of those who ensured the tournament’s seamless execution,” other factors dogged their efforts. India’s late decision not to travel cast a long shadow not only over the cricket but also the tournament’s organization. The schedule was released just eight weeks before the opening match and tickets were available only days beforehand.

None of this will matter to either the ICC, BCCI or India. The ICC continues to make money but is dependent upon India’s participation in its tournaments and on India v Pakistan to protect broadcasting rights. International cricket is over a barrel. No national board is prepared to take the risk of challenging the insanely rich BCCI — look what happened when Pakistan tried. Market forces have been allowed to dictate the future of the game, whilst the BCCI, hand in glove with the ICC, now seems to be able to influence schedules for its own benefit.

The Champions Trophy 2025 has pulled back the curtain on the future of international cricket, in which India looks set to dominate not only off the field, but on it as well, at least in the short formats. It has taken eight years since the last Champions Trophy in 2017, when Pakistan handsomely beat India at the Oval, for this possibility to become reality.


DP World ILT20 to sponsor Ramadan cricket tournament in Dubai

DP World ILT20 to sponsor Ramadan cricket tournament in Dubai
Updated 12 March 2025
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DP World ILT20 to sponsor Ramadan cricket tournament in Dubai

DP World ILT20 to sponsor Ramadan cricket tournament in Dubai
  • Tournament to be held at the ICC Academy Oval 1 and 2 from March 13 to April 3
  • Dubai Capitals lifted the DP World ILT20 Season 3 trophy in February

DUBAI: As a sign of their commitment to develop and support UAE cricket, particularly at the grassroots, DP World ILT20 is set sponsor a Ramadan cricket tournament to be held at the ICC Academy Oval 1 and 2 in Dubai from March 13 to April 3. 

The 22-day tournament will feature 10 domestic teams — the Dubai Cricket Council Starlets, Karwan Cricket Club, Emirates Fly Better, Seven District, Prospero Properties, Dubai Dare Devils, Consolidate Shipping Service, Z Games, Lexington Shot Guns, and GHK Properties — with over 200 players vying for the top prize.

Each team will play nine single round-robin league games followed by semifinals and the final. The tournament will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.

Discussing their backing for the event, David White, CEO of DP World ILT20, said: “It is DP World ILT20’s endeavour to support and nurture local talent in UAE. With 220 players turning up for the Ramadan cricket tournament, it’s a great opportunity to see and encourage emerging talent. We stay true to our commitment of developing cricket at the grassroots and I wish all the players the very best.”

The DP World ILT20 season 3 recently concluded with Dubai Capitals emerging as the new champions. While the league has been a global success, the DP World ILT20 continues to support domestic cricket at the grassroots level as part of their commitment to help in the growth and development of emerging local talent.


KL Rahul: India’s unsung hero and chase-finishing maestro

KL Rahul: India’s unsung hero and chase-finishing maestro
Updated 10 March 2025
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KL Rahul: India’s unsung hero and chase-finishing maestro

KL Rahul: India’s unsung hero and chase-finishing maestro
  • Rohit was full of praise for Rahul’s composure at the sharp end of the nerve-shredding chases

DUBAI: KL Rahul was hailed Monday as India’s Champions Trophy unsung hero, having twice kept a cool head under pressure to see his team to victory in tense semifinal and finals.

Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with 76 to lead India to a four-wicket final win over New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, following Virat Kohli’s 84 to anchor India’s semifinal chase against Australia.

Both won Player of the Match awards for their respective knocks, but after they had departed it had been No. 6 Rahul, almost under the radar, who had kept calm to guide India across the finish line.

He was unbeaten on 34 in the final as India chased down 252, just a few days after his 42 not out took India past Australia’s 264 in the last four of the 50-over competition.

Rohit was full of praise for Rahul’s composure at the sharp end of the nerve-shredding chases.

“Look, when we discussed KL’s batting position, that is one thing we discussed quite deeply about how calm he is when he is batting,” Rohit said after guiding India to a third Champions Trophy crown.

“I’m very, very happy with how he ... batted in the pressure situation, both in the semifinals and this game.

“With KL being there, we know that he’s got that mind where he keeps himself calm and keeps the dressing room also very calm.”

While Rohit and Kohli grabbed the headlines, a softly spoken and smiling Rahul, 32, was quietly enjoying his first win in an ICC championship.

“ICC victories are not so easy to get and it’s my first one, so I’m over the moon,” Rahul said.

“It’s been a complete team effort, all 11-12 players have stood up and their chance and opportunity has come and it’s one of the biggest reasons why we have ended up winning the tournament.”

An elegant batsman, Rahul started off as an opener for India in white-ball cricket.

But a loss of form and intense media scrutiny forced him to reinvent his batting.

He dropped down to No. 6 recently as he edged out Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.

“What I have been taught by my coaches from an early age is that cricket’s a team game and whatever the team requires of you, you need to be able to do that,” said Rahul, who sports a trademark beard and a man bun on his tattooed, athletic frame.

“It requires a lot of preparation, lot of work outside the field. I just watch and learn from the batsmen I like at four, five, six.”

Rahul started his cricketing journey as a wicketkeeper-batsman but had given up the gloves in domestic cricket.

It was not until an injury to Pant against Australia in 2020 that he again stood behind the stumps.

“I kept wickets in the series, played at No. 5 and performed well,” said Rahul.

“From then on the captain and team management thought I could do that role.”


Spin attack leads India to Champions Trophy title

Spin attack leads India to Champions Trophy title
Updated 09 March 2025
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Spin attack leads India to Champions Trophy title

Spin attack leads India to Champions Trophy title
  • India finish unbeaten in the eight-nation contest played in Pakistan and UAE

DUBAI: Rohit Sharma made a combative 76 to back up a potent spin bowling display as India beat New Zealand by four wickets to win a record third Champions Trophy title on Sunday.

Chasing 252 to win, India got off to a fast start through their captain’s first half-century of the tournament before KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 34 to help seal victory with six balls to spare in the final in Dubai.

India added to their trophies in 2002 and 2013 to go past Australia, who have two titles. India finished unbeaten in the eight-nation tournament played in Pakistan and the UAE.

In a battle of spin on a sluggish Dubai pitch, New Zealand’s bowlers put India in trouble at 203-5 with Rohit and Shreyas Iyer, who hit 48, back in the pavilion.

But Rahul kept calm and along with Hardik Pandya (18) and Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the winning boundary, steered the team home to loud cheers from a largely Indian crowd in a sea of blue.

India played all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium after they refused to tour hosts Pakistan due to political tensions.

India played four spinners in their last three matches, which proved telling in deciding the outcome.

Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets each to help restrict New Zealand to 251-7 after the Black Caps elected to bat first.

In reply, Rohit came out firing as he took on the pace bowlers with regular boundaries including a six and two fours in one over off Nathan Smith.

The captain reached his fifty in 41 balls to put the pressure on the opposition.

New Zealand’s spinners attempted to pull things back and a stunning catch from Glenn Phillips secured a key breakthrough.

Phillips went airborne to pluck a flying ball at extra cover to dismiss Shubman Gill for 31 off skipper Mitchell Santner.

Virat Kohli fell in the next over, trapped lbw for one off Michael Bracewell’s off spin and the momentum shifted as runs dried up for India.

Rohit, after a maiden over from Bracewell, jumped out of his crease against Rachin Ravindra only to be stumped by Latham as India slipped from 105 without loss to 122-3.

Iyer controlled the chase aided by a dropped catch by Kyle Jamieson but soon fell to Santner.

India lost Axar Patel and Pandya but Rahul stood strong to drag his team over the line.

New Zealand missed their pace spearhead Matt Henry after he was forced out of the final due to a shoulder injury.

Kane Williamson also could not come out to field after his batting effort of 11 due to a quad strain.

Daryl Mitchell hit 63 and Bracewell made a quickfire 53 not out for New Zealand, but it was not enough against an Indian side with considerable batting depth.


‘No advantage’ in playing Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, says Indian coach

‘No advantage’ in playing Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, says Indian coach
Updated 08 March 2025
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‘No advantage’ in playing Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, says Indian coach

‘No advantage’ in playing Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, says Indian coach
  • Rohit Sharma’s team to face New Zealand in the title clash today

DUBAI: India playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai was a pre-tournament decision and the talk of unfair advantage is baseless, the team’s batting coach has said.

Rohit Sharma’s team face New Zealand in the title clash on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium, where India have been unbeaten in four matches.

India refused to tour hosts Pakistan in the eight-nation tournament due to political tensions and were given Dubai as their venue in the United Arab Emirates.

“The draw that happened, it happened before,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak told reporters. “After India winning four matches, if people feel that there is an advantage, then I don’t know what to say about it.”

The tournament’s tangled schedule, with teams flying in and out of the UAE from Pakistan while India have stayed put, has been hugely controversial.

South Africa batsman David Miller said “it was not an ideal situation” for his team to fly in to Dubai to wait on India’s semifinal opponent and then fly back to Lahore in less than 24 hours.

Even nominal hosts Pakistan had to jump on a jet and fly to Dubai to play India, rather than face them on home soil.

The pitches have been vastly different in the two countries. Pakistan tracks produced big totals, in contrast to the slow and turning decks of the Dubai stadium.

“End of the day, I think in a game, you have to play good cricket every day when you turn up,” the 52-year-old Kotak said. “So the only thing they (critics) may say is that we play here. But that is how the draw is.”

“So nothing else can happen in that. It is not that after coming here, they changed something and we got an advantage,” he added.

India have been the team to beat after they topped Group A, which had New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

They then beat Australia in the first semifinal.

New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, lost the last group game to India by 44 runs before they beat South Africa in the second semifinal in Lahore.

Kotak said the previous result between the two teams will have no bearing on their mindset going into the final.

“That depends how the New Zealand team thinks, but I think we should not think that,” said Kotak. “We should just try and turn up and play a good game of cricket because there is no use thinking about the last match.”

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said they are not too worried about India’s advantage.

“I mean, look, the decision around that’s out of our hands,” said Stead.

“So, it’s not something we worry about too much. India have got to play all their games here in Dubai. But as you said, we have had a game here and we’ll learn very quickly from that experience there as well.”

“And if we’re good enough to beat India on Sunday, then I’m sure we’ll be very, very happy,” he added.