On Monday night, medium-pacer David Wiese bowled out Sharjah Warriors for 107 runs and helped Gulf Giants win by seven wickets in the 30th match of the DP World ILT20 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Sharjah Warriors were eliminated from the tournament after finishing fifth with seven points. Gulf Giants, who won three straight games, finished first in the table with 16 points. The Dubai Capitals, whose fate was determined by the outcome of this game, are now in the playoffs with nine points.
The Desert Vipers, who finished second, will face Gulf Giants in the first qualifier on February 8 at the Dubai International Stadium, while the Dubai Capitals will face MI Emirates in the eliminator on February 9 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Gulf Giants won the coin toss and chose to bowl. Sharjah Warriors opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit the fifth ball of Dominic Drakes' first over for the first six of the match, but he fell to the first ball of Sanchit Sharma's third over. Gurbaz dismissed Sharma at midwicket for 7.
Opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit two boundaries off Sharma before smashing Helm for two boundaries, a six, and a boundary off four consecutive balls before succumbing to a breath-taking tumbling catch by skipper James Vince at mid-off for 32.
Moeen Ali lasted only four balls and scored one run after mistiming a pull off Carlos Brathwaite. Drakes dashed in and dove forward at deep square leg for yet another spectacular catch. Drakes, on the other hand, was injured while making the catch. Following the match referee's approval, Liam Dawson took over as the concussion replacement.
Marcus Stoinis hit a boundary through extra cover with the first ball he faced. Sharjah Warriors were 48 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. In the eighth over, Evin Lewis, who was playing across to Wiese, was caught leg before for three runs. Sharjah Warriors were 65 for 4 at the half. Wiese's 11th over put Sharjah in serious trouble. He clean bowled Joe Denly for three runs with a ball that stayed low. He trapped Stoinis leg before for 17 after two balls. He had Chris Woakes for a duck with the last ball of that over, a lifting delivery that touched the bat handle and landed in the hands of Qais Ahmed at point.
Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad added 29 runs for the eighth wicket, the highest partnership of the innings, before Noor was run out for ten by Helm's quick pick up and throw to wicketkeeper Banton. Wiese's fifth victim, Nabi, was trapped leg before for 21. Junaid Siddique was caught at mid-off by Colin de Grandhomme for his eighth wicket. Sharjah's innings was thus over in 18.3 overs.
Gulf Giants openers Banton and Vince scored steadily while chasing a target of 108 in 120 balls. Banton eluded capture at eight off a thick leading edge to midwicket. Kohler-Cadmore ran and dived, but the ball slipped through her fingers. Stoinis, on the other hand, had Banton clean bowled for 11 in the fifth over.
By the halfway point, Vince and De Grandhomme had taken the score to 60 for 1, requiring another 48 runs in 60 deliveries. De Grandhomme effortlessly hit Stoinis over long-on for a six. Junaid Siddique got De Grandhomme to hit to Lewis at deep square leg for 35 runs off 47 balls for the second wicket. With the last ball of that over, Siddique clean bowled Vince for 27.
Aayan Khan, 17, of the UAE, was joined by Gerhard Erasmus when 24 runs from 42 balls were required. Muhammad Jawadullah bowled a tight 14th over, conceding only three runs. Erasmus slashed Siddique to the third man boundary in the 15th over.
Aayan Khan took Gulf Giants to the target through a slog sweep off Nabi to mid-wicket for a six and remain unbeaten on 14 with Erasmus unconquered on 10.
Brief scores:
Sharjah Warriors 107 all out in 18.3 overs (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 32, Mohammad Nabi 21, Carlos Brathwaite 2-15, David Wiese 5-20) lost to Gulf Giants 108/3 in 16.3 overs (James Vince 27, Colin De Grandhomme 35, Junaid Siddique 2-27) by 7 wkts.