Sharjah Warriorz finally got off the mark in the ILT20 2025-26 with a tight six-run victory over MI Emirates, snapping their three-match losing streak. The victory was largely thanks to an outstanding 77 from Johnson Charles, which set the foundation for the Warriorz’s total of 174/3. Despite a late flurry of hitting from Nicholas Pooran, MI Emirates could only manage 168/5 in their chase.
Emirates’ Early Struggles
MI Emirates got off to a brisk start, with openers Jonny Bairstow and Muhammad Waseem putting on a solid 68-run partnership in just seven overs. However, Sharjah’s Sikandar Raza broke the partnership by dismissing Bairstow (31 off 23). Pooran, coming in at one-down, struggled to find his rhythm, and the asking rate steadily climbed.
The middle-order of Emirates then faltered. Waseem, who had earlier scored 44 off 29 balls, fell trying to accelerate the innings, and soon after, Tom Banton, Kieron Pollard, and Romario Shepherd all departed in quick succession, leaving Emirates at 98/4 by the 15th over. Junaid Siddique was the key bowler in that collapse, picking up two wickets.
Late Fightback from Pooran
Tajinder Dhillon briefly injected some much-needed momentum with a quick-fire 24 off 13 balls before having to retire hurt. With 25 runs required off the final over, Pooran stepped up, hitting three consecutive sixes in six balls. However, the total of 168/5 still proved to be insufficient as Sharjah Warriorz held their nerve to secure their first win of the season.
Charles Stars in Warriorz’ Solid Total
Sharjah Warriorz had Johnson Charles to thank for laying the foundation of their total. On a challenging wicket, Charles anchored the innings with a brilliant 77 off 53 balls, including seven boundaries and four sixes. His 112-run opening stand with Tom Kohler-Cadmore (30) gave the Warriorz a solid platform.
Although the innings faltered in the latter stages, with skipper Sikandar Raza (29 off 22) and James Rew (24* off 14) finishing the innings with a few crucial runs, the total of 174/3 still felt slightly below par considering the damage Charles could have caused with more support. Emirates’ bowlers managed to claw back, restricting the Warriorz to just 25 runs in the final three overs after the opening partnership was broken.
Impressive Bowling Performance
Despite the slight dip in scoring in the latter stages, Sharjah Warriorz’s bowlers delivered a solid performance. Sikandar Raza and Junaid Siddique were the standout performers, with Raza picking up 2/15 and Siddique taking 2/35, ensuring that the total was enough to defend.
Brief Scores:
- Sharjah Warriorz: 174/3 in 20 overs (Johnson Charles 77, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 30; Rashid Khan 1/22)
- MI Emirates: 168/5 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 48*, Muhammad Waseem 44; Sikandar Raza 2/15, Junaid Siddique 2/35)
Result: Sharjah Warriorz won by 6 runs.
