DP World ILT20: Abu Dhabi Knights Riders beat Sharjah Warriors for first win

Opener Joe Clarke cracked half-century to help the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders finish their campaign with their first victory in the DP World ILT20 on Saturday.

The Englishman made 54 from 32 deliveries studded with seven boundaries and two sixes as the Knight Riders defeated the Sharjah Warriors by five wickets at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. The Knight Riders had lost eight of their 10 matches with one game being abandoned due to rain.

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders opening batters Clarke and Paul Stirling put their team in the driver’s seat with an 86-run partnership in just 8.2 overs.

Clarke smacked Naveen-ul-Haq for consecutive boundaries and took his team to 19 for no loss at the end of the second over.

The Englishman upped the ante even more when he smashed two sixes and two fours off Junaid Siddique in the fourth over. Paul Stirling also joined the party as he struck two sixes to help his team coast to 71 for no loss in six overs.

Marcus Stoinis managed to break the opening partnership when he dismissed Clarke for 54 runs off 32 balls in the ninth over, but the Knight Riders were just 45 runs away from their target.

Thereafter, Brandon King played a short innings of 19 runs off 18 balls and took the Knight Riders even closer to their target at 118 for two.

The Warriors picked up three wickets in quick succession, but Connor Esterhuizen stood tall and wrapped up the match with a boundary off Naveen-ul-Haq’s bowling in the 17th over.

BRIEF SCORES

> Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Sharjah Warriors by 5 wickets

Sharjah Warriors: 130-9 (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 46, Chris Benjamin Chris Benjamin 24 not out; Matiullah Khan 2-24)