Sharjah Warriorz survive nail-biting finish to defeat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

Abu Dhabi
Sharjah Warriorz held their nerve to secure a thrilling four-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, keeping their playoff hopes alive in DP World ILT20 Season 4. With two games remaining, the Warriorz now sit on six points, setting up a tense battle for the remaining playoff spots.
The Knight Riders suffered an early collapse as Taskin Ahmed and Wasim Akram ripped through the top order, reducing them to 10/4.
Taskin struck in the opening overs to dismiss Phil Salt and Alex Hales, while Wasim Akram made history with the first-ever wicket-maiden by a UAE player in league history, sending Liam Livingstone back for a duck. Despite Sherfane Rutherford’s 44 off 36 balls and support from Alishan Sharafu, the Knight Riders were restricted to a modest total, with Adil Rashid taking three crucial wickets.
Chasing the target, Sharjah got off to a shaky start as Jason Holder removed Johnson Charles early, and Monank Patel soon followed.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore steadied the innings with 30 runs, while Sikandar Raza contributed 28. James Rew anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 off 29 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six, and guided Sharjah to victory on the final ball.
Adil Rashid, awarded Player of the Match, praised the team effort, saying, “It was satisfying to contribute at a crucial stage, especially bowling the 18th and 20th overs. Playing against world-class players like Jason and Andre always demands focus, and thankfully our plans worked.”
Knight Riders captain Jason Holder acknowledged his team’s shortcomings, saying, “We didn’t put enough runs on the board. Credit to our bowlers for keeping the game alive, but a few key moments going differently could have changed the result.”