![Sharjah Warriorz players celebrating a wicket [Source: @Sharjahwarriorz/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1738866021132_ilt20_2025.jpg?type=mq)
Sharjah Warriorz players celebrating a wicket [Source: @Sharjahwarriorz/x]
Sharjah Warriors upstaged defending champions MI Emirates in the Eliminator to advance into the second qualifier of the ILT20 2025 season. Captain Tim Southee led the Warriors from the front with a ball in hand, before Johnson Charles and Tim Seifert went berserk in the run-chase.
Here’s the timeline of how MI Emirates vs Sharjah Warriorz panned out in Abu Dhabi:
Emirates vs Warriorz Highlights: Nicholas Pooran Lifts Emirates Scoring Rate
MI Emirates opener Andre Fletcher failed on the big day as the West Indies star was dismissed for a three-ball duck by Sharjah Warriorz fast bowler Adam Milne (1-29) in the first over of the match. His opening partner Will Jacks responded with three confident boundaries to reach a near run-a-ball 18 before getting knocked over by Ashton Agar (1-20). With both openers gone, the Emirates reached 48-2 at the end of the six-over powerplay phase.
Tom Banton and captain Nicholas Pooran lifted Emirates’ scoring rate in the middle overs, with the latter leaving his mark with a sizzling 22-ball 42. Banton also carved 29 runs from 25 balls with four boundaries, but a sharp caught-and-bowled from Rohan Mustafa (1-20) curtailed his well-set stay by the time the Emirates reached 73 around the halfway stage of the innings.
Emirates vs Warriorz Highlights: Tim Southee Strangles Emirates In Slog Overs
Dilshan Madushanka (1-31) got the prized scalp of Nicholas Pooran in the 13th over of the MI Emirates innings, courtesy of a well-judged catch from wicketkeeper Tim Seifert. Dangerman Bevon Jacobs also failed to lead his team to recovery, despite biding his time for 12 deliveries at the crease, as his full-blooded slog off Sharjah Warriorz spinner Harmeet Singh (1-17) merely landed towards Tom Kohler-Cadmore at long-on.
Warriorz captain Tim Southee further strangulated Emirates’ run-flow with the wickets of Kusal Perera and Romario Shepherd in the slog overs to claim tight figures of 2-24. With no notable contributions after Nicholas Pooran’s cracking 42, the defending champions reached just 146-8 from their 20 overs.
Emirates vs Warriorz Highlights: Kohler-Cadmore, Charles And Roy Start Off Well For Warriorz
Chasing 147, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles got the Sharjah Warriorz off to a flier with a 49-run opening partnership in less than five overs. Charles smeared seven boundaries and a six in his attacking 20-ball 36 at the top of the order, until the hard-hitting West Indies opener nicked one towards MI Emirates wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran off Muhammad Rohid just before the powerplay.
Nonetheless, Kohler-Cadmore continued the good work for Warriorz by sharing a calculated 52-run partnership for the second wicket with number three batter Jason Roy (26 off 24). The two cricketers steered their team past the 100-run mark around the first 12 overs of the innings.
Emirates vs Warriorz Highlights: Tim Seifert Overcomes Rohid Threat With An Impact 40*
Fast bowler Muhammad Rohid kept MI Emirates in the hunt with the quick wickets of a well-set Jason Roy and newcomer Matthew Wade to claim astonishing figures of 3-32 from his four overs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi also tightened things up with the wicket of Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a run-a-ball 40 during the decisive stages of the run-chase.
Fortunately for the Warriorz, wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert bludgeoned 40 unbeaten runs from just 20 balls with five boundaries and two sixes to steer his team to a huge six-wicket win in just 18.5 overs. The Warriorz will now face Desert Vipers in the second qualifier of the ILT20 2025 season on February 7 in Sharjah.
 "Aakash Saini")
