DP World ILT20: Gulf Giants defeat MI Emirates to book date against Desert Vipers

In the end, the two form teams, the top two teams in league play, kept their tryst with each other. Skipper James Vince led from the front to help the Gulf Giants book their date against the Desert Vipers in the final of the DP World ILT20.

In Qualifier 2, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday, opener Vince carried his bat to conjure a measured 83 not out from 56 deliveries, peppered with 10 boundaries and a six, to see off a stiff chase against MI Emirates by four wickets and 11 balls to spare.

Gulf Giants, who had gone down to the Vipers by 19 runs in Qualifier 1, will renew their rivalry again in Dubai on Sunday, but this time for the big prize.

The Gulf Giants came up with a fine riposte to the 168-run chase with the openers captain James Vince and Chris Lynn putting the skates on. The pair put the Giants well on the road with a 64-run stand from 36 deliveries before Lynn was removed by Dwayne Bravo after the Aussie had cracked a 14-ball 24.

But MI Emirates clawed their back in and after Rashid Khan castled Colin de Grandhomme, his Afghan compatriot Fazalhaq Farooqi took two wickets off successive balls, removing Gerhard Erasmus and the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for nought.

But Vince found a strong ally in David Wiese and the duo put them back in the chase with a 36-run fifth wicket alliance.

Rashid Khan terminated that stand by seeing the back of Wiese but the Giants still had firepower down the order. And it was left to Vince and UAE’s Aayan Afzal Khan to take them to the finish line.

"Got off to a quick start which took the pressure off. We lost a few wickets through the middle but the guys who came in didn't chew up too many balls and found the boundaries," Vince, who was adjudged the Player of the Match, said at the post-match presentation.

"We get a chance to put it right against the Vipers on Sunday," he added.

Meanwhile, MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard said: "We didn't get off to the greatest start. They bowled well and kept us in check. We finished with a decent total but were 15-20 runs short.

"We could have been tighter with the ball, get early wickets and get into them. They started well and we were always playing catch-up."

Earlier, it was a stop-start sort of innings with the MI Emirates batters striking in splurts until Pollard took matters on his broad shoulders to score an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls during which he smoked four sixes and three boundaries.

MI Emirates had lost Thursday’s hero opener Andre Fletcher early, falling to West Indian compatriot Carlos Brathwaite in the second over.

Lorcan Tucker showed intent and tried to make use of the powerplay, with the Irishman clubbing four boundaries off David Wiese in the fourth over as 18 came off it.

But there were to be two down for 31 after Tucker miscued one from Chris Jordan and the skier was gobbled up by Aayan Afzal Khan after he and two other fielders had come under it. The start saw MI Emirates get 34 in the powerplay for the loss of two wickets.

Sunday: Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 6 pm