Twist after twist. Turn after turn. But it wasn’t to be. While we fought hard, both with bat and ball, to come back from behind, sadly, the result wasn’t in our favour. Let’s relive the proceedings, shall we.. 

KP gets us off to a KP-kind-of start

After a couple of slightly quiet games, he Kusal Perera was back to doing what he’d done superbly in the previous season – getting us off to a solid start, first with Muhammad Waseem as the two got to 48 for no loss in the powerplay, and then with Tom Banton, to finish with five fours in his knock of 33. 

Pollard battles it out amidst a mini collapse 

With Nicholas Pooran and Tom Banton falling in quick succession and MI Emirates being in a spot of bother at 86/4 inside the 13^th over, The Llord took over in typical style. He was happy to take it slow at first, before taking the game deep and exploding in the end for a very useful 23-ball 36. 

Romario gives it the finishing touches 

20 runs came off the 20^th over, 14 came off the 19^th, and MI Emirates had just the finish they needed to get to a par total of 159. That’s thanks largely to Romario Shepherd’s eight-ball 16, which included two massive sixes he hit off David Payne. 

From 62/0 to 71/3, our bowlers hit back 

Fakhar Zaman and Alex Hales got the Desert Vipers off to a solid start, but through Dan Mousley and Waqar Salamkheil, the brakes were put on their innings. Despite another partnership coming up, Zahoor Khan came strongly and opened the game up once again in the 19^th over. 

Sadly, Rutherford finishes it off 

13 runs were needed off 11 balls. Both set batters in Zaman and Sam Curran were dismissed. But Sherfane Rutherford, courtesy a cheeky dab in the same over got the equation down to under a-run-a-ball, and then sealed it for the Vipers with a pull over backward square leg off the first ball of the 20^th over. 

It might end up as an L against our name, but it was truly hard fought. We’ll be up against the Sharjah Warriorz next on the road on a hot Sunday afternoon, and we cannot wait to get our campaign back on the winning road.