Shakib’s All-Round Heroics Power MI Emirates into ILT20 Final

Sports Desk, Rtv News

Publish : 03 Jan 2026, 08:32 AM

Photo: Collected

A stellar all-round performance by Shakib Al Hasan has propelled MI Emirates into the final of the ILT20. While the Bangladeshi ace remained wicketless, his economical bowling and aggressive batting earned him the Player of the Match award in a dominant victory.

MI Emirates secured their spot in the final after crushing the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 7 wickets in the second qualifier on Friday night (January 2). Chasing a modest target of 121, Shakib’s side reached the mark with 23 balls to spare.

Shakib’s Impact: Efficiency and Aggression

Shakib Al Hasan was instrumental in both departments:

With the Ball: He strangled the opposition scoring, conceding just 20 runs in his 4 overs.
With the Bat: He played the team’s most aggressive knock, scoring 38 off 24 balls, decorated with 5 boundaries and a six.

Match Report: Dominant Run Chase

Despite a low target, MI Emirates had a shaky start, crawling to 36 runs in 7.1 overs while losing openers Andre Fletcher (5) and Muhammad Waseem (10).

However, the game shifted dramatically when Tom Banton joined Shakib Al Hasan. The pair put on a decisive 82-run partnership, effectively batting Abu Dhabi out of the game. While Shakib fell just one run short of the victory target, Banton remained unbeaten on 64 off 53 balls. For Abu Dhabi, Ajhar Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 13.

First Innings: Abu Dhabi’s Batting Collapse

Earlier, MI Emirates won the toss and elected to field, a decision justified by their bowlers. Despite boasting heavy hitters like Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, and Andre Russell, Abu Dhabi was restricted to a sub-par 120/9.

Top Scorer: UAE’s Alishan Sharafu provided the only resistance, scoring a gritty 50 off 40 balls*.
Star Performers: AM Ghazanfar was the wreaker-in-chief for Emirates, taking 3 for 24, supported by Muhammad Rohid (2/19) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/30).

The Road to the Title

MI Emirates reached the final the hard way. After losing the first qualifier to the Desert Vipers by 45 runs, they made the most of their second chance.

The stage is now set for a high-stakes rematch and a shot at redemption. MI Emirates will face the Desert Vipers in the grand final this Sunday (January 4).

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Shakib Al Hasan

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