Shakib’s Emirates reach ILT20 playoffs

Shakib Al Hasan-featured MI Emirates became the second team to qualify for the playoffs of the ongoing ILT20, beating Gulf Giants by eight wickets with 21 balls to spare in their penultimate league match in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Emirates' bowlers set up the victory by restricting the Giants to 141 for six in 20 overs after electing to bowl first.

Fazalhaq Farooqi and Romario Shepherd took two wickets each for Emirates.

Emirates all-rounder Shakib was used for only two overs out of his allotted four, both within the first seven overs of the Giants' innings, and conceded just 10 runs without taking a wicket.

In reply, Emirates lost two batters early -- opener Jonny Bairstow (0 off 3) and Tom Banton (0 off 5) -- and were reeling at two for two after just 1.4 overs. However, an unbroken 140-run stand between Nicholas Pooran (69 not out off 49) and Muhammad Waseem (59 not out off 42) saw Emirates cruise to victory in just 16.3 overs to confirm their playoff berth after Desert Vipers, with Shakib not required to bat.