NEW DELHI: Avishka Fernando lit up the Sharjah Cricket Stadium with an astonishing knock, steering the Sharjah Warriorz to a record-breaking chase in ILT20 historical past. Pursuing a frightening 202-run goal set by the Dubai Capitals, Fernando smashed a wide ranging 81 off simply 27 balls, reaching his fifty in a tournament-record 16 balls.
Fernando’s explosive innings, studded with eight towering sixes and 6 boundaries, powered the Warriorz to victory in 18.1 overs with 5 wickets to spare. Earlier, Shai Hope performed a pivotal function for the Capitals, anchoring their innings with a commanding 83 to assist submit 201/5.
Chasing the steep goal, Johnson Charles gave the Warriorz a flying begin. Partnering with Jason Roy, Charles hammered 37 off 19 balls, together with three sixes and three fours. His blitz ended within the powerplay’s ultimate over, falling to Olly Stone because the Warriorz reached 56/1.
Jason Roy adopted quickly after, dismissed for 26 within the seventh over by Dushmantha Chameera. Avishka Fernando then entered the fray, taking cost within the ninth over with a flurry of boundaries off Gulbadin Naib. UAE all-rounder Rohan Mustafa contributed a vital 17 earlier than Chameera struck once more, leaving the Warriorz at 132/Three within the 13th over.
Fernando continued his onslaught, smashing his strategy to the quickest fifty in DP World ILT20 historical past in simply 16 balls, surpassing Azam Khan’s earlier document of 18 balls. He dominated Naib’s 27-run over, which turned the most costly within the match’s historical past. His fireworks ended within the 16th over when Obed McCoy dismissed him for 81.
Luke Wells stored his composure, scoring an unbeaten 31 off 17 balls to information the Warriorz residence with ease.
Within the first innings, the Dubai Capitals capitalized on the powerplay, with Ben Dunk smashing two fours and a six in a fast begin. Shai Hope anchored the innings, reaching a 36-ball fifty with three boundaries and two sixes, whereas Sikandar Raza added 27 throughout a 67-run partnership with Hope.
Rovman Powell supplied late fireworks, hammering 28 off 15 balls, together with an 18-run over off Karim Janat. Hope additionally cleared the ropes twice in Adam Milne’s 19th over earlier than Tim Southee curtailed the Capitals’ cost within the ultimate over, choosing up two wickets to restrict them to 201/5.
Participant of the Match, Avishka Fernando, mentioned: “I wished to play my pure sport, and I thank God for a way issues turned out. The wicket was nice to bat on, and after they scored 200, I knew I needed to play positively. It got here naturally, and I am grateful for that. I didn’t notice I had damaged the document for the quickest fifty, however I’m proud of the efficiency.”
Dubai Capitals captain, Sikandar Raza, commented: “I assumed it was an excellent complete. You don’t often see 202 in Sharjah, so I used to be fairly assured it was a powerful rating, and we should always have been in a position to win the sport. Shai has been a unbelievable addition to the group, and hopefully, the opposite gamers round him step up as properly. The wicket bought higher later, and the dew made it more durable. The cutters weren’t holding within the wicket both. Our fielding might have been higher, and Avishka performed brilliantly.”
