Match Overview
The MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders match scorecard from the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025/26 Qualifier 2 showcases a dominant performance by MI Emirates. Played on January 2, 2026, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, this crucial playoff match determined which team would advance to the final.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that backfired as they collapsed against a disciplined MI Emirates bowling attack. ADKR managed only 120/8 in their 20 overs, with Alishan Sharafu top-scoring with an unbeaten 50.
Chasing a modest target of 121, MI Emirates delivered a clinical batting performance. Tom Banton anchored the chase with a match-winning 64 off 53 balls, while Shakib Al Hasan provided the finishing touch with a quickfire 38 off just 24 balls. MI Emirates reached 122/3 in 16.1 overs, winning by 7 wickets with 23 balls to spare.
Player of the Match: Shakib Al Hasan for his all-round contribution with both bat and ball.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Hales | c Muhammad Waseem b Ghazanfar | 29 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 80.55 |
| Michael Pepper† | run out (Fletcher) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Brandon McMullen | lbw b Muhammad Rohid | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 162.50 |
| Liam Livingstone | c †Banton b Muhammad Rohid | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Alishan Sharafu | not out | 50 | 40 | 2 | 3 | 125.00 |
| Andre Russell | c Shepherd b Fazalhaq Farooqi | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30.00 |
| Jason Holder(c) | c Pollard b Ghazanfar | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Sunil Narine | c Krishnamurthi b Ghazanfar | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Unmukt Chand | c Fletcher b Fazalhaq Farooqi | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Piyush Chawla | not out | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 10 | |||||
| Total | 120/8 | 20.0 |
Did not bat: Ajay Kumar, Olly Stone
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Michael Pepper, 1.4 ov), 2-23 (Brandon McMullen, 4.2 ov), 3-35 (Liam Livingstone, 7.3 ov), 4-72 (Alex Hales, 12.5 ov), 5-86 (Andre Russell, 15.3 ov), 6-88 (Jason Holder, 16.1 ov), 7-96 (Sunil Narine, 17.1 ov), 8-104 (Unmukt Chand, 18.3 ov)
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajay Kumar | 3.0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 4.33 |
| Sunil Narine | 4.0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Jason Holder | 3.0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 8.33 |
| Olly Stone | 2.0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Piyush Chawla | 2.1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 9.69 |
| Liam Livingstone | 1.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17.00 |
| Andre Russell | 1.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6.00 |
MI Emirates Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Waseem | lbw b Narine | 10 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 71.42 |
| Andre Fletcher | c McMullen b Ajay Kumar | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Tom Banton† | not out | 64 | 53 | 7 | 1 | 120.75 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | c Sharafu b Ajay Kumar | 38 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 158.33 |
| Sanjay Krishnamurthi | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Extras | 5 | |||||
| Total | 122/3 | 16.1 |
Did not bat: Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard(c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Rohid, Arab Gul
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Andre Fletcher, 2.3 ov), 2-27 (Muhammad Waseem, 5.2 ov), 3-117 (Shakib Al Hasan, 15.5 ov)
MI Emirates Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM Ghazanfar | 4.0 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 6.00 |
| Muhammad Rohid | 4.0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 4.75 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 4.0 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 7.50 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | 4.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 5.00 |
| Arab Gul | 4.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 5.00 |
Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders match scorecard reveals a comprehensive victory for MI Emirates in this high-stakes Qualifier 2 encounter. Let’s break down the key moments and performances that defined this cricket match.
Top Batting Performance
Tom Banton’s innings of 64 off 53 balls was the cornerstone of MI Emirates’ successful chase. The wicketkeeper-batter displayed excellent temperament, rotating the strike effectively and capitalizing on loose deliveries. His innings included 7 boundaries and 1 six, showcasing his ability to find the gap and accelerate when needed. Banton’s strike rate of 120.75 was perfectly suited to the match situation, providing stability at the crease while keeping the required run rate in check.
Shakib Al Hasan’s cameo of 38 off 24 balls was equally crucial. The Bangladesh all-rounder came in at a critical juncture and played with remarkable intent, hitting 5 fours and 1 six. His explosive batting earned him the Player of the Match award and ensured MI Emirates closed out the game with nearly 4 overs to spare.
For Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Alishan Sharafu’s unbeaten 50 off 40 balls was a lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal batting display. The UAE batter fought valiantly, striking 2 fours and 3 sixes, but lacked adequate support from his teammates.
Top Bowling Performance
AM Ghazanfar’s figures of 3/24 in 4 overs were instrumental in restricting ADKR to a below-par total. The young spinner extracted turn and bounce from the Sharjah pitch, dismissing key batters Alex Hales, Jason Holder, and Sunil Narine at crucial moments. His economy rate of 6.00 in a T20 match is commendable.
Muhammad Rohid (2/19) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/30) provided excellent support, maintaining tight lines and picking up wickets at regular intervals. The MI Emirates bowling unit operated in sync, building pressure through dot balls and capitalizing on batting errors.
Turning Point of the Match
The turning point came in the middle overs of ADKR’s innings when they lost wickets in clusters. From a respectable 72/3 in 12.5 overs, ADKR collapsed to 104/8, losing 5 wickets for just 32 runs. This collapse completely derailed their momentum and left them with an uphill task.
Records and Milestones
This victory marked MI Emirates’ advancement to the ILT20 2025/26 final, showcasing their consistency throughout the tournament. The chase was completed with 23 balls remaining, highlighting the dominance of MI Emirates on the day.
Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | MI Emirates Wins | Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders match? A: MI Emirates won the match by 7 wickets, chasing down the target of 121 runs with 23 balls to spare in the ILT20 2025/26 Qualifier 2.
Q: Who was named Player of the Match? A: Shakib Al Hasan was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance, contributing 38 runs off 24 balls with the bat and bowling his full quota of 4 overs.
Q: What was the final match result? A: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders scored 120/8 in 20 overs. MI Emirates chased down the target, reaching 122/3 in 16.1 overs, winning by 7 wickets.
Q: When and where was this match played? A: The match was played on January 2, 2026, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, as part of the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025/26 season Qualifier 2.
Q: What is the current series standing between these teams? A: In the ILT20 2025/26 season, MI Emirates holds a slight edge in their head-to-head record against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, having won 5 out of 8 encounters between the two franchises.
Q: Who were the top scorers in the match? A: Tom Banton top-scored for MI Emirates with 64 runs off 53 balls. For Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Alishan Sharafu was the highest run-scorer with an unbeaten 50 off 40 balls.
Q: Who took the most wickets in this match? A: AM Ghazanfar was the leading wicket-taker for MI Emirates with figures of 3/24 in 4 overs. Ajay Kumar was the most successful bowler for ADKR, taking 2 wickets for 13 runs.
Conclusion
The MI Emirates vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders match scorecard from January 2, 2026, reflects a comprehensive victory for MI Emirates in the ILT20 Qualifier 2. With clinical bowling that restricted ADKR to 120/8 and a composed batting chase led by Tom Banton and Shakib Al Hasan, MI Emirates demonstrated why they are contenders for the title. Their next match will be the ILT20 final, where they will look to clinch the championship trophy. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, despite a valiant effort from Alishan Sharafu, will need to regroup and address their middle-order fragility heading into the next season.
