Liam Livingstone took Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to a 39-run win over Sharjah Warriorz after hitting 82 not out from 38 balls at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
His innings ended with a 33-run final over off Dwayne Pretorius, the most expensive in the league’s four seasons. Abu Dhabi finished on 233 for four, the second-highest total in ILT20 history.
Alex Hales, Alishan Sharafu and Sherfane Rutherford set up the score with quick contributions. Rutherford made 45 from 27 and shared a 95-run stand with Livingstone. Adil Rashid was the most effective Sharjah bowler with two for 31.
Sharjah were chasing 234 but lost three early wickets. Johnson Charles, Tom Abell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore all fell inside seven overs, leaving the home side 56 for three.
Tim David kept them in touch. He hit 60 from 24 balls, including three straight sixes off Piyush Chawla in the ninth over. He reached his half-century in 21 deliveries before Ajay Kumar removed him for the key wicket of the chase. Kumar finished with one for 22 from four overs, the best figures for Abu Dhabi.
Pretorius added 39 from 20 down the order and Rashid struck 25 from 11, but the target had slipped out of reach. Sharjah closed on 194 for nine.
Earlier, Michael Pepper gave Abu Dhabi a brisk start before falling to Pretorius. Hales and Sharafu carried the innings to 58 for one by the end of the powerplay before Rashid struck twice to slow the scoring.
Livingstone and Rutherford rebuilt quickly, attacking Sikandar Raza and Pretorius to keep the run-rate high. Andre Russell joined Livingstone for the final surge, adding 50 from 13 balls.
Player of the Match: Liam Livingstone.
Brief Scores
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 233/4 (Livingstone 82*, Rutherford 45, Sharafu 34; Rashid 2-31)
Sharjah Warriorz 194/9 (David 60, Pretorius 39, Rashid 25; Garton 2-24, Stone 2-37, Russell 2-48)
