By Himadullah Sohoo 
In a thrilling DP World ILT20 clash, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders emerged victorious against defending champions Gulf Giants by 6 wickets. This crucial win propelled them from the bottom of the table to the coveted third position, while pushing Giants down to fourth.
Pepper’s Prowess Powers Knight Riders
England’s Michael Pepper stole the show with a swashbuckling 59 off 40 balls, laced with seven boundaries and three sixes. His knock, combined with a strong opening partnership, laid the foundation for Knight Riders’ chase of 162.
Giants Restricted Despite Lynn’s Heroics
Chris Lynn top-scored for the Giants with a valiant 67 off 48 balls, but Knight Riders’ bowlers kept the pressure on, restricting them to a total of 161/6.
Knight Riders Steady Ship After Early Wobble
Chasing the target, Knight Riders openers Joe Clarke and Pepper put on a 62-run stand before Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck twice. However, Andre Russell‘s quickfire 30* and Sam Hain’s 17* ensured a comfortable victory with 10 balls to spare.
Giants Left to Rue Missed Opportunities
Giants’ bowlers faltered at crucial junctures, conceding 27 extras and failing to defend their modest total.
Post Match Quotes:
- Winning Captain Sunil Narine: “We ticked a lot of boxes. Starting with picking up wickets in the powerplay sets the tone. Still too close for comfort, but a win is a win.”
- Player of the Match Michael Pepper: “Not losing wickets in the powerplay helped. It’s important to take the aggressive option while batting in the powerplay.”
- Disappointed Giants Captain James Vince: “We thought we had a par score, but their 60-run opening partnership put us behind.”
Brief scores:
Gulf Giants 161 for 6 in 20 overs (Chris Lynn 67, Jordan Cox 21, Usman Khan 23, Andre Russell 2 for 39, Imad Wasim 2 for 31) Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 164 for 4 in 20 overs (Michael Pepper 59, Andre Russell 30n.o, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2 for 31)
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat the Gulf Giants by 6 wickets.
Player of the Match: Michael Pepper
Anas Ahmed 
Zainab Shafiq