Match Overview
gulf giants vs mi emirates match scorecard (ILT20) 2025-26 season witnessed a clinical performance by MI Emirates as they defeated Gulf Giants by 8 wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 . This crucial league-stage encounter saw MI Emirates win the toss and elect to bowl first, a decision that paid rich dividends as their bowlers restricted the home side to a modest total .
Gulf Giants, batting first, struggled against the disciplined bowling attack of MI Emirates and could only manage 141/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a fighting fifty from Moeen Ali, the Giants fell short of what would have been a competitive total on this surface. In response, MI Emirates lost two early wickets but recovered brilliantly through an unbroken 140-run partnership between Nicholas Pooran and Muhammad Waseem. The duo chased down the target with 21 balls to spare, securing MI Emirates’ place in the playoffs with their fourth successive victory . Muhammad Waseem was awarded the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 59 off 42 balls, which anchored the chase alongside Pooran’s fluent 69 .
Gulf Giants Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | b Fazalhaq Farooqi | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 110.00 |
| James Vince (c) | b Romario Shepherd | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Asif Khan | c Sanjay Krishnamurthi b Romario Shepherd | 12 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Moeen Ali | c Tom Banton b Zahoor Khan | 51 | 48 | 2 | 2 | 106.25 |
| Lorcan Tucker | lbw b Arab Gul Momand | 13 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | c Tom Banton b Fazalhaq Farooqi | 14 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 73.68 |
| Kyle Mayers | not out | 28 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 155.56 |
| Mark Adair | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Extras | 9 | |||||
| Total | 141/6 | 20.0 |
Did not bat: Haider Razzaq, Fred Klaassen, Tabraiz Shamsi, Liam Dawson
MI Emirates Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakib Al Hasan | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5.00 |
| Romario Shepherd | 4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 4.20 |
| AM Ghazanfar | 3 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 6.70 |
| Zahoor Khan | 4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.00 |
| Arab Gul Momand | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 5.50 |
| Kieron Pollard | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 |
MI Emirates Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Waseem | not out | 59 | 42 | 3 | 3 | 140.48 |
| Jonny Bairstow | lbw b Mark Adair | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tom Banton | c James Vince b Azmatullah Omarzai | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nicholas Pooran (wk) | not out | 69 | 49 | 6 | 3 | 140.82 |
| Extras | 14 | |||||
| Total | 142/2 | 16.3 |
Did not bat: Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Kieron Pollard (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Romario Shepherd, Arab Gul Momand, Allah Ghazanfar, Zahoor Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Gulf Giants Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Adair | 3.3 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 8.60 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 3 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 6.70 |
| Fred Klaassen | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Haider Razzaq | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Kyle Mayers | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | 3 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 8.70 |
Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates match scorecard tells the story of a game dominated by MI Emirates’ superior execution in both departments. The turning point of the match came in the first two overs of MI Emirates’ innings when they lost both openers, Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton, for ducks. At 2/2, the match was evenly poised, but Nicholas Pooran and Muhammad Waseem showed remarkable composure to rebuild the innings .
Top Batting Performance: Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 69 off 49 balls was the cornerstone of MI Emirates’ chase. The West Indies wicketkeeper-batter struck six fours and three sixes, displaying excellent timing and placement. His partnership of 140 runs with Muhammad Waseem (59* off 42) ensured that MI Emirates never looked in trouble after the early setbacks. For Gulf Giants, Moeen Ali’s resilient 51 off 48 balls was the standout contribution, helping his team recover from a precarious 49/4 .
Top Bowling Performance: Fazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the MI Emirates bowlers, returning figures of 2/17 in his four overs. His ability to swing the ball early removed key batters like Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai. Romario Shepherd also chipped in with two crucial wickets, including that of captain James Vince. For Gulf Giants, Mark Adair and Azmatullah Omarzai picked up one wicket each, but they leaked runs at a high economy rate, which proved costly in a low-scoring affair .
Records and Milestones: This victory marked MI Emirates’ fourth consecutive win in the tournament, cementing their position as one of the favorites to lift the trophy. It also secured their place in the playoffs, making them the second team to qualify after a dominant league-stage performance. Muhammad Waseem’s fifty was his first of the season and came at a crucial juncture, earning him the Player of the Match award .
The match also highlighted the importance of adapting to conditions. While the ball was swinging early on, dew played a significant factor in the second innings, making batting easier as the game progressed. MI Emirates’ decision to bowl first was vindicated by this development, as their batters found it much simpler to time the ball in the latter stages of the chase .
Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | Gulf Giants Wins | MI Emirates Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
Note: Head-to-head record includes all ILT20 matches played between these two teams up to December 2025 .
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates match? A: MI Emirates won the match by 8 wickets with 21 balls remaining. They successfully chased down Gulf Giants’ total of 141/6, reaching 142/2 in just 16.3 overs .
Q: Who was the Player of the Match in Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates? A: Muhammad Waseem was awarded the Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 59 runs off 42 balls. His steady innings anchored MI Emirates’ successful chase alongside Nicholas Pooran .
Q: What was the match result of Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates? A: MI Emirates defeated Gulf Giants by 8 wickets. Gulf Giants scored 141/6 in 20 overs, and MI Emirates chased the target comfortably, losing only two wickets in 16.3 overs .
Q: When and where was the Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates match played? A: The match was played on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. It was the 26th match of the International League T20 2025-26 season .
Q: What is the current series score between Gulf Giants and MI Emirates? A: In the ILT20 2025-26 season, MI Emirates won both encounters against Gulf Giants. Overall, in their head-to-head record across all ILT20 seasons, MI Emirates lead 5-4 with 1 no-result in 10 matches .
Conclusion
The Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates match scorecard from December 23, 2025, showcases a dominant performance by MI Emirates in a crucial playoff-deciding fixture. Their bowlers set up the victory by restricting Gulf Giants to 141/6, and their batters, led by Nicholas Pooran and Muhammad Waseem, chased down the target with ease. This win not only secured MI Emirates’ place in the playoffs but also demonstrated their depth and versatility as a team. Gulf Giants, despite the loss, remained in contention for a playoff spot, depending on other results. Cricket fans can look forward to more exciting encounters as the ILT20 2025-26 season progresses toward its climax.
