In a thrilling encounter at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, the Abu Dhabi Knights defeated the Warrior of Sharjah by 30 runs in Match 6 of International T20 League 2025. The Knight Riders, led by their bowlers David Willey And Jason Holderdefended a modest target of 160 to record their first victory of the season. While the Knight Riders showed resilience in both innings, the Warriorz struggled to build partnerships, ultimately falling short with 129 runs.
Balanced batting performance of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
After being put into bat by the Warriorz, the Knight Riders managed to post a competitive 159/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Kyle Mayers provided a fiery start, crushing 21 from 9 balls before falling to Adam Milne. Joe Clarke (32 out of 27) and Alishan Sharafu (25 off 22) contributed regular runs in the middle overs, ensuring the scoreboard worked despite regular wickets. Laurie Evans anchored the innings with an unbeaten 39 off 31, backed by Andrew RussellThe explosive cameo of 24 off 12 balls. Their partnership added crucial runs in the death overs.
Adil Rachid was the standout bowler for the Warriorz, taking 2 wickets for just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Harmeet Singh also impressed with the 1/22 figures. However, the remaining bowlers, including Milne (2/37), failed to contain the Knight Riders in the final stages, allowing them to finish on a high note.
ALSO WATCH: Adam Milne’s destructive bowling breaks Phil Salt and Kyle Mayers’ stumps in ILT20 2025
David Willey and Jason Holder shine in dominant bowling display
Chasing 160, the Warriorz struggled early on, losing Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the first and Jason Roy shortly after. Willey dismantled the top order with a superb spell, taking 3/19 in his 4 overs, including the key wickets of Kohler-Cadmore and Roy. Holder proved equally effective, taking 4/23 and troubling the middle order with his variations.
While Rohan Mustafa (20 out of 19) and Keemo Paul (21 of 16) tried to stabilize the innings, they received little support from the other batters. Tim Southée‘s valiant 24 from 11 was too little, too late. Sunil Narine played economically, conceding only 16 runs in their 4 overs, further stifling the Warriorz chase. Mayers sealed the victory by cleaning up the tail, finishing with figures of 2/16. The Warriorz were eventually bowled out for 129 in 19.3 overs, giving the Knight Riders a well-deserved victory. The Knight Riders took home two valuable points, while the Warriorz had to re-evaluate their strategies going forward in the tournament.
A convincing victory tonight. 😌
Well done Knights! 👏#WeAreADKR | #AbuDhabiKnightRiders | #DPWorldILT20 | #ADKRvSW pic.twitter.com/WUxeOCEnyE
– Abu Dhabi Knights (@ADKRiders) January 15, 2025
