GG VS SW T20S

Right then, the opening fixture of the second edition of the ILT20 is done and dusted and the tournament is underway in style. Next up is a big clash between Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, 20 January. That game will begin at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT) but our build-up will begin a lot sooner. Do join us for all the action. Cheers!

Jamie Overton is the Player of the Match for his lovely spell with the ball. Overton says that he had a good run in the Big Bash League and it's nice to join the Giants after a positive performance. He says that he tried to keep it simple and try to hit the wicket and make it hard for the batters to score runs. He adds that he has learned a lot from Chris Jordan and ends up by saying that he will continue to put on good performances in the coming games.

The skipper of Gulf Giants, James Vince says that it was a pretty all-rounded performance with multiple contributions and they will look to take the confidence forward. Adds that they were 20 runs ahead of what looked to be a good score on this wicket and then the bowlers did the job as well but fielding is an area they can improve on and adds that they do have quality fielders in the team. Mentions that they will strive for someone in the top order to make a big score which would be a plus.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the captain of Sharjah Warriors says that they were probably twenty short with the ball and bat. Says that they have to make sure that next time they come they are ready to go. Adds that the opposition bowlers smashed the middle of the pitch and made them take the square of the wicket which they found difficult to hit. He says that when a team scores around 200, you need to bat well and create partnerships. Adds that he enjoys batting at number 3 and ends by saying they will come back strongly in the next game.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Tom Kohler-Cadmore won the toss and opted to bowl first on a ground where defending runs was difficult. Gulf Giants did get off to a flying start as all of the top three batters, all Englishmen made quick and big enough runs. Jamie Smith was particularly impressive up top but Sharjah Warriors did pull things back in the middle overs thanks to a sensational spell by Maheesh Theekshana who picked up four wickets right a day after picking up four wickets in an International game for Sri Lanka as well. The bowling as a unit wasn't quite there and Usman Khan's cameo took the Giants really close to the 200-run mark. Coming to the chase, the Warriors gave themselves more than half a chance in the first 10 overs but then were blown away by the opposition.

Gulf Giants have just shown why they are the reigning champions with a clinical display in the opening fixture of the new season. They had the runs on the board but didn't get any wickets in the first half of the chase. Then Jamie Overton came in and turned the tide as he got rid of both openers. This opened the floodgates and they got wickets at regular intervals with Richard Gleeson, Chris Jordan and Dominic Drakes all getting in the act. Overton finished with three wickets and was the definite stand-out as the Giants rounded up the win.

Gulf Giants begin their title defense in style with a fairly straightforward win against Sharjah Warriors and for the Warriors, the players have changed but not the result. It is just the start of the competition but we have an idea of how things will proceed from here. Chasing 199, Sharjah Warriors needed a big start from the openers and the experienced pairing of Martin Guptill and Johnson Charles didn't disappoint. Guptill looked settled from the off but Charles fought his way in with a few streaky boundaries after unleashing his might. They did well to be 90/0 at the halfway mark but couldn't kick on and Guptill got out. This triggered a slight collapse and the wickets started to tumble. The middle order failed to keep up with the required rate and perished one by one and even skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore couldn't hold on for too long after hitting a few lusty blows. No one else even got into double figures after that apart from Chris Woakes who did hit away three boundaries in tthe final over but that went in vain.

Just one and Gulf Giants WIN! Back of a length ball and slower on the stumps, Chris Sole gets the inside edge of his bat and onto the pads towards the leg side and he sneaks a single. Gulf Giants kickstart their campaign with a win.

Fuller length at the stumps, Chris Woakes drills it down to widish long on for single.

EDGED AND FOUR MORE! Full and outside off, Chris Woakes clears his front leg and throws his bat at it as he gets the leading edge which flies over backward point for a boundary.

FOUR! Shot! Full and on off, Chris Woakes clears his front foot and drills it through covers for a boundary. Usman Khan in the deep slides to his right but fails to stop the boundary.

A slowish delivery on a length on off, Chris Woakes miscues the sweep and gets over mid-wicket which falls in no man's land and they cross for a brace.

FOUR! It's too late but they can try to improve their run rate here. Serves in the hitting arc around off, Chris Woakes drives it over the bowler's head towards widish long off for a boundary.

A terrific over by Richard Gleeson as he concedes just two of it. On a fuller length and around off, Chris Sole makes room for himself to go over but misses through to the keeper.

Sprays down leg and slower, Chris Woakes tries to flick it but wears on the lower half of his pad towards the leg side. They run a leg-bye single.

Length ball outside off, Chris Sole slogs across and only meets thin air.

Fuller and on middle, Chris Sole drives it towards long off for a single.