ILT20 2024: Top run-getters and wicket-takers after Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates (Updated) ft. Kusal Perera and Waqar Salamkheil
The 26th match of the International League T20 (ILT20) produced a thriller as the Gulf Giants defended a total of 158/7 to edge out MI Emirates by five runs. Dubai International Stadium hosted the clash on Thursday, February 8.
Put into bat first by the MI Emirates, the Giants got off to a great start courtesy of skipper James Vince. He scored a 41-ball 59, smashing seven fours and a six at a strike rate of 143.90. Barring Vince, the Giants' batting never got going. The only other notable contribution came from wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who provided late impetus with a 26-ball 43, comprising four fours and two sixes.
Some late big hits took the Giants to what seemed like a below-par score of 158/7 from their 20 overs. Waqar Salamkheil was the wrecker in chief, ending with exceptional bowling figures of 3/19.
In response, MI Emirates got off to a blistering start courtesy of opener Kusal Perera, who smashed a 25-ball 34. However, his dismissal led to a middle-order collapse as the Emirates batting faltered.
With the experienced Kieron Pollard still at the crease, MI seemed to be on the verge of pulling off a remarkable heist. But his dismissal tilted the game back in favor of the Giants. Batting at No. 10, Jordan Thompson played a blinder of an innings, clobbering 26 runs from just nine deliveries.
Despite a valiant attempt, MI fell short of five runs as the Giants emerged victorious in a last-over thriller.
ILT20 2024 Most Runs List
MI Emirates opener Kusal Perera tops the run-scoring charts with 264 runs in seven innings. The hard-hitting Sri Lankan has scored his runs at an excellent average of 37.71 and a strike rate of 160.97.
Perera is closely followed by his MI Emirates teammate Nicholas Pooran. He has amassed 261 runs in eight innings at a stellar average of 43.50 and a strike rate of 170.58.
In third place is Gulf Giants dasher Chris Lynn with 260 runs from seven matches and a 37.14 average. Muhammad Waseem of the MI Emirates is in fourth place with 255 runs and an impressive SR of 149.12. Gulf Giants Skipper James Vince occupies the fifth spot with 248 runs from nine games.
Johnson Charles, Michael Pepper, Sikandar Raza, Alex Hales, and Andre Russell round off the top ten run-getters list. They have totals of 232, 224, 203, 195, and 192 runs respectively.
ILT20 2024 Most Wickets List
Playing for table-toppers MI Emirates, Fazalhaq Farooqi leads the wicket-taking charts with 17 scalps from eight matches.
The Afghan Speedster has claimed his wickets at an astonishing average of 13.05 and an economy rate of 7.65. Waqar Salamkheil, also from MI Emirates, occupies the second spot with 13 wickets at a 12.84 average and a miserly 6.86 economy.
Trent Boult takes the third spot with 13 wickets, while the Desert Vipers’ leggie Wanindu Hasaranga is fourth on the list with 12 wickets. Meanwhile, Sharjah Warriors left-arm quick Daniel Sams rounds off the top five with his 12 wickets.
The top 10 is filled out by the likes of Mohammad Amir and Maheesh Theekshana, who occupy the 6th and 7th spots with 11 wickets each. Muhammad Jawadullah, Dushmantha Chameera, and Imad Wasim have picked up 10 wickets each in the tournament so far. They round off the 8th, 9th, and 10th positions, respectively.