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It is very rare when a batter hits two sixes and three fours in the last over but the team still does not cross the finish line. Jamie Overton's one dot ball in the final over turned out to be golden as Kieron Pollard's MI Emirates lost to Gulf Giants by five runs despite Jordan Thompson scoring 24 runs in the final over.
James Vince played a captain's knock despite wickets falling at the other end. Vince scored 59 runs from 41 balls featuring seven fours and a six. When Vince departed, the Gulf Giants were 89/5 in the 13th over. Waqar Salamkheil's three-wicket haul pushed Gulf Giants on the back foot. But wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith's unbeaten 26-ball 43 helped his side post 148/7.
In the run chase, Kusal Perera hit a few boundaries in the powerplay overs but lacked support from the other end. Perera departed for a 25-ball 34. MI Emirates lost half the side for 72 runs in the 11th over. Pollard did not look at his best but Odean Smith's slow knock took the game away from MI Emirates. In the penultimate over, Pollard lost his wicket to Chris Jordan attempted a cheeky shot. After Pollard's 31-ball 40, MI Emirates needed 30 runs from the final over. Thompson went all out hitting three fours and a couple of sixes but it was not enough to get his team over the line.
Pollard did not blame his teammates for the loss but chose to look at the positives from the game.
“At the end was just one hit away with a couple of hits at the back end. 10-15 runs too much, a couple of things here and there. It's difficult to come in and get set. You gotta come in and hit just like that. We were calculating. Chris Jordan especially bowled well. DJ coming in and doing well with that one over in the powerplay and Waqar has been fantastic again. Positives as guys getting a hit and it's good for us going forward,” the Caribbean all-rounder said in the post-match presentation.
Despite the loss, MI Emirates are at the top of the points table with six wins from nine games. They have already qualified for the playoffs. On the other hand, the Gulf Giants took one step towards qualification. They are placed second on the table with five wins from nine games and a superior net run rate to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriors.
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