123/3 (13.5)
CR : 8.89
122/10 (19.3)
CR : 6.26
MI Emirates won by 7 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Kamindu Mendis
3/2110(7)
MIE won by 7 wickets
11:03 PM IST and 9:33 PM Local Time: What a way to win for the MI Emirates as Kamindu Mendis overcomes the chase with his flamboyant flick. They win the game by 7 wickets with 6.1 overs remaining. The Emirates bounce back and reach the third spot with four points from as many games.
Arriving for the minuscule chase, the Emirates got off to a decent start as Muhammad Waseem struck three consecutive sixes against Khary Pierre in the third over. However, local boy Ajay Kumar outfoxed him in the next over before Jason Holder struck in the next over, removing Nicholas Pooran. However, Jonny Bairstow's three fours in the sixth over summed up their 63-run powerplay. Right after, Banton and Bairstow -- the two Englishmen -- steered the chase with a mix of caution and aggression. They played out Sunil Narine cautiously before targeting the other bowlers. In the process, Banton departed for 29. However, Bairstow (49*) and Kamindu Mendis eased the chase with 37 balls remaining.
Winning the toss and choosing to field first worked well in the Emirates' favour. Phil Salt and Alex Hales were sent back to the pavilion on back-to-back overs after the second over, courtesy of Romario Shepherd and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Brandon McMullen and Alishan Sharafu added 24 runs in between amidst a 37-run powerplay. This is when Kamindu Mendis wreaked havoc in the middle order, setting up Fazalhaq Farooqi's four to bundle the Knight Riders for 122. Sharafu (38 off 34 balls) was the highest scorer for the Knight Riders.
Stay tuned as the presentation follows.
Arriving for the minuscule chase, the Emirates got off to a decent start as Muhammad Waseem struck three consecutive sixes against Khary Pierre in the third over. However, local boy Ajay Kumar outfoxed him in the next over before Jason Holder struck in the next over, removing Nicholas Pooran. However, Jonny Bairstow's three fours in the sixth over summed up their 63-run powerplay. Right after, Banton and Bairstow -- the two Englishmen -- steered the chase with a mix of caution and aggression. They played out Sunil Narine cautiously before targeting the other bowlers. In the process, Banton departed for 29. However, Bairstow (49*) and Kamindu Mendis eased the chase with 37 balls remaining.
Winning the toss and choosing to field first worked well in the Emirates' favour. Phil Salt and Alex Hales were sent back to the pavilion on back-to-back overs after the second over, courtesy of Romario Shepherd and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Brandon McMullen and Alishan Sharafu added 24 runs in between amidst a 37-run powerplay. This is when Kamindu Mendis wreaked havoc in the middle order, setting up Fazalhaq Farooqi's four to bundle the Knight Riders for 122. Sharafu (38 off 34 balls) was the highest scorer for the Knight Riders.
Stay tuned as the presentation follows.
Time for post-match presentations...
Dispatch of the Day: Muhammad Waseem
Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Captain): "We will need to figure out what is going wrong for our side. A score of 122 was not enough. Conditions were not bad for batters. We just need to execute well. We haven't executed at all since our opening game, when we scored well. Need to score good runs. Have to adjust to the conditions here. Maybe bowling second doesn't go in a team's favour here but still, we need to play better. Need to have belief in the dressing room. We have to play it our way. Maybe sometimes things will go against us but we need to back ourselves. Not sure about Andre Russell's injury. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, we will have an update about him."
Kieron Pollard (MI Emirates Captain): "Yeah, off course. Rest all the guys performed well after their rest. Nabi and Shakib Al Hasan was benched. Its a good headache to have. It is about what we need on the day on the selection.
I think we're there about talent for talent for competition. All these things come off well and we try to play well."
Player of the Match: Kamindu Mendis
Kamindu Mendis (POTM): "Actually, I thought the wicket was a bit slow, so I tried to mix up the pace. Skipper Pollard asked me before giving the ball to pitch the ball in good areas and the pitch will help. I have already apologised to Johnny Bairstow for hitting that six in the end and keeping him stranded at 49* and not letting him complete his fifty. I have no idea right now where I will bowl to Pathum Nissanka. Maybe I will get an idea when I come in the middle."
Biggest wins for MI Emirates (in terms of balls remaining):
Won by 9 wickets with 71 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Jan 2024)
Won by 8 wickets with 53 balls remaining vs Sharjah Warriorz at Abu Dhabi (Feb 2024)
Won by 7 wickets with 37 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Dec 2025)*
Won by 9 wickets with 14 balls remaining vs Sharjah Warriors at Sharjah (Jan 2025)
Won by 8 wickets with 6 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Jan 2024)
Won by 9 wickets with 71 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Jan 2024)
Won by 8 wickets with 53 balls remaining vs Sharjah Warriorz at Abu Dhabi (Feb 2024)
Won by 7 wickets with 37 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Dec 2025)*
Won by 9 wickets with 14 balls remaining vs Sharjah Warriors at Sharjah (Jan 2025)
Won by 8 wickets with 6 balls remaining vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Abu Dhabi (Jan 2024)
That's it from this encounter. Both teams have a great history as a franchise. In the end, it's the MI Emirates that exercises its dominance over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. That's it from this one. This is Arijit Kundu signing off alongside Mohammad Anab and scorer Yogesh Kumar. Good bye!!!