By Anas Ahmed 
The Sharjah Warriorz continued their impressive push toward the ILT20 playoffs, securing a hard-fought four-wicket victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. A stellar performance from Johnson Charles (65 off 40) and a match-winning spell from Adam Zampa (3/27) guided the hosts to an essential win, moving them up to third place in the table with eight points from nine matches.
Dominant Start Sets the Tone for Sharjah Warriorz
Chasing 162 for victory, the Warriorz got off to a flying start, thanks to an explosive powerplay from Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. The duo dismantled the opposition attack, smashing 24 runs off Ibrar Ahmad in the fourth over and 18 off Vijayakanth Viyaskanth shortly after. Kohler-Cadmore’s 39 off 21 laid the foundation for an aggressive chase as the hosts reached 75/1 at the end of the powerplay, scoring at nearly double the required run rate.
Charles continued his onslaught, taking on Sunil Narine and Jason Holder, while Rohan Mustafa provided support at the other end. Despite a few missed chances from the Knight Riders’ fielders, Charles capitalized to notch up a well-deserved half-century, playing elegant strokes and aggressive hits all around the ground.
Late Stutter Before Ashton Agar Seals the Victory
After cruising for most of the chase, the Warriorz suffered a late collapse, losing three wickets for just two runs, including Charles (65) and Jason Roy, who fell to a stunning wicket-maiden from Holder. At 148/6, the match suddenly seemed wide open, with the Warriorz still needing 14 runs from 16 balls.
However, Ashton Agar played the perfect finisher, smashing a crucial six off Terrance Hinds in the penultimate over before Harmeet Singh sealed the win off the first ball of the final over.
Zampa and Milne Set Up Victory with the Ball
Earlier, Adam Milne gave the Warriorz the perfect start by dismissing Andries Gous for a golden duck. Despite a quickfire partnership between Kyle Mayers (56) and Roston Chase (28), Adam Zampa spun his magic, dismissing both Chase and Mayers at key moments.
Milne returned to claim Sunil Narine’s wicket, while Zampa outfoxed Andre Russell for just three runs, applying the brakes to the Knight Riders’ innings. Despite a late flourish from Holder (17 off an over), the visitors managed only 161/8 in 20 overs—a total that ultimately proved insufficient.
Post-Match Reactions
Player of the Match, Adam Zampa, reflected on his match-winning spell:
“I love the challenge of bowling against top players like Dre Russ. He’s got me before, but I got him this time. It was all about execution and controlling the run flow. The team showed great character today.”
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain Sunil Narine acknowledged his team’s shortcomings:
“We were in the game until the end, but we fell short with our batting. We were targeting 200 but ended up with 160. The powerplay hurt us as they came out aggressively. We’re still in the tournament, and we have to bounce back.”
What’s Next?
With the win, the Sharjah Warriorz have strengthened their playoff hopes and will look to carry this momentum into their final group-stage game. Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will need to regroup quickly if they are to stay in contention.
Zainab Shafiq