South Africa stunned defending champions Australia to reach the final of the Women's T20 World Cup with a nine-wicket win in Dubai.

Anneke Bosch hit an unbeaten 74 from just 48 balls – including eight fours and one six – as South Africa successfully chased down a target of 135 with 16 balls in hand in what was a repeat of the 2023 final.

Ayabonga Khaka had earlier struck out two as South Africa limited Australia to 134-5, with five of the six bowlers used by the Proteas conceding 25 runs or fewer.

South Africa leaked 40 runs in the final four overs as Australia desperately attempted to up the ante after a slow run in the middle overs.

But any fears they would not be successful in their chase were soon allayed by Bosch.

After opener Tazmin Brits was bowled clean by Annabel Sutherland for 15 in the fifth over, Laura Wolvaardt made a composed 42 off 37 deliveries in support of the imperious Bosch, who smashed Megan Schutt's ball for four to end the encounter on an emphatic note.

Data Debrief: Brilliant Bosch the difference

Bosch's previous best figure at this tournament was a knock of 25 versus Bangladesh last time out, but she reeled off the best total by any player at the 2024 edition on Friday.

Her knock surpassed the score of 62 recorded by England's Maia Bouchier against Scotland, though Bouchier's strike rate of 182.35 did better Bosch's 154.16.

South Africa are now into their second final in this competition, having previously gone down to Australia on home soil last year. They will face either West Indies or New Zealand, who go head-to-head in Friday's second semi-final.

The West Indies Women delivered a clinical performance to claim an emphatic six-wicket victory over Scotland in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday, bouncing back from their humiliating 10-wicket loss to South Africa in the opening match. The West Indies, led by Afy Fletcher’s impressive bowling, restricted Scotland to a modest total of 99-8 from their 20 overs, setting the stage for a confident chase.

Fletcher was the standout bowler, taking 3-22 as she helped stifle Scotland’s batting efforts. Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack, and Chinelle Henry also chipped in with a wicket apiece, putting Scotland under immense pressure. Ailsa Lister (26) and captain Kathryn Bryce (25) provided some resistance, contributing to a crucial third-wicket stand of 46 after Scotland had stumbled to 13-2 in the third over. However, once Fletcher broke their partnership, the rest of the Scottish lineup crumbled, with only Lorna Jack-Brown (11) and Darcey Carter (14 not out) offering any additional resistance.

Scotland’s total of 99-8 seemed unlikely to trouble the West Indies, but they suffered an early setback in their chase. Star batters Hayley Matthews (8) and Stafanie Taylor (4) were both dismissed cheaply, raising concerns of a potential collapse. However, Qiana Joseph quickly turned the tide with a blistering knock of 31 from 18 balls, while Deandra Dottin’s unbeaten 28 from 15 balls and Chinelle Henry’s quickfire 18 from 10 ensured a comfortable victory for the Caribbean side. The West Indies reached their target in just 11.4 overs, with 50 balls to spare.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews expressed satisfaction with her team’s turnaround performance. "100 percent, we were able to go out as a group and restrict them to 99. Qiana Joseph was positive and Dottin finished it off. We did pretty well with the ball, limited the boundary balls, and got ourselves in a secure position. We also had to think about the net run rate, and we executed that well," said Matthews. "Next, we have Bangladesh, and if we win that and then against England, we’ll be in the semifinals."

Player of the Match Chinelle Henry also shared her thoughts on the team’s effort. "I first thank my teammates and coach. Our goal was to give the team a good start and improve our net run rate. We figured the wicket was slow, and batting was difficult, but we had a clear plan, we backed our skills, and we executed."

With this victory, the West Indies Women have reignited their World Cup campaign and will look to carry the momentum forward in their upcoming matches against Bangladesh and England.

The West Indies Women’s team endured a disappointing start to their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, falling to South Africa Women by 10 wickets in their Group B opener in Dubai on Friday. South Africa's captain, Laura Woolvaardt, won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that quickly paid off as the West Indies struggled from the outset.

The West Indies were reeling at 32-3 by the seventh over, with early dismissals of captain Hayley Matthews (10), Qiana Joseph (4), and Deandra Dottin (13). Former captain Stafanie Taylor tried to steady the innings with an unbeaten 44 off 41 balls, but her efforts were not enough to build any significant partnerships as wickets continued to fall around her. Contributions from Shemaine Campbell (17) and Zaida James (15) offered little resistance, and the team managed to post a modest total of 118-6 from their 20 overs.

South Africa’s bowlers were in fine form, with Nonkululeko Mlaba leading the attack, taking 4-29 with her slow left-arm spin. Marizanne Kapp provided strong support, claiming 2-14 as the West Indies struggled to accelerate.

In response, South Africa made light work of the chase, reaching 119-0 in 17.5 overs without losing a wicket. Woolvaardt anchored the innings with an unbeaten 59 off 55 balls, including seven fours. Her opening partner, Tazmin Brits, was equally effective, scoring 57 not out from 52 deliveries, striking six boundaries as they capitalized on a lacklustre West Indies bowling attack.

The defeat serves as a stark wake-up call for the West Indies, who will need to regroup quickly if they are to advance in the tournament. Their next match in Group B will be crucial as they seek to bounce back from this disappointing start.

Final scores in the match were West Indies Women 118-6 (20 overs) and South Africa Women 119-0 (17.5 overs), with South Africa securing a dominant victory in their opening game.

West Indies Women missed the chance to build crucial momentum ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, falling to a 20-run defeat against India Women in a warm-up match in Dubai on Sunday.

 After winning the toss and opting to field, the West Indies women managed to restrict India to 141-8 from their 20 overs. India's total was anchored by Jemimah Rodrigues, who top-scored with a well-crafted 52 off 40 balls before being run out. Yastika Bhatia (24) and Smriti Mandhana (14) provided valuable support, but the Indian innings was largely contained by West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who produced a stellar bowling performance with figures of 4-17.

 In response, the West Indies Women got off to a poor start, losing early wickets, including that of captain Matthews, who was dismissed for a duck. The Caribbean side quickly slumped to 13-3, putting them on the back foot in their pursuit of 142.

 Chinelle Henry tried to rescue the innings with a fighting unbeaten 59, forming a crucial 57-run partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, who added 20 valuable runs. However, once Campbelle was dismissed, the West Indies struggled to maintain their momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals.

 Afy Fletcher’s quickfire 21 from 14 balls gave the West Indies a glimmer of hope late in the game, but they ultimately ran out of time, finishing at 121-8 from their 20 overs, falling 20 runs short of the target.

 India's bowlers put in a disciplined performance, with Pooja Vastrakar leading the attack, taking 3-20. Deepti Sharma was also instrumental in choking the West Indies' scoring, delivering an economical spell of 2-11 from her three overs.

 The loss leaves the West Indies Women with work to do as they prepare for their T20 World Cup campaign.

Auguste Rodin is set to have a busy first half of the season, which will kick off with a run in the Sheema Classic in Dubai.

Aidan O’Brien’s dual Derby and Breeders’ Cup winner is then scheduled to take in the Tattersalls Gold Cup closer to home at the Curragh before a trip to Royal Ascot, after which connections will take stock.

Being by Deep Impact, a race on dirt would not usually be considered, but O’Brien was so taken by the way he acted on the surface in the mornings when preparing for the Breeders’ Cup, that he is giving the idea some serious thought.

“Auguste Rodin has another bit of work to do before he goes on Saturday, but everything looks good at the moment. It’s his first run of the year but we’re very happy with him,” he said.

“The plan was he goes there, then he could go to the Curragh for the Tattersalls and then Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s.

“After that, we could have a look at a dirt race with him after that, we’ll see how that goes. He could go to Saratoga. The world has gone small now.

“His season will be split in two really, with a busy first half and then a break.

“As a rule, Deep Impacts are mainly turf horses, but we were surprised how well he worked on the dirt at the Breeders’ Cup, he floated over it. He has an unusual action, so it will be interesting to see.”

Another stalwart of the yard due to return is Kyprios, who missed the majority of last season before finishing second in the Irish St Leger and at Ascot on Champions Day.

The usual O’Brien route to the Gold Cup back at Ascot will be taken, with the Vintage Crop Stakes and the Saval Beg early targets.

“It was amazing he came back, I couldn’t believe it. He seems in good form, he’ll go to Navan and then he’ll go to Leopardstown, that’s the plan, the usual Ascot (Gold Cup) route,” said O’Brien.

As for the two-year-olds, none have been named to date but there are several catching the studious eyes at Ballydoyle.

“None of the two-year-olds are named yet, but we think we have two good Justifys, out of two sisters (Fabulous and Butterflies),” said O’Brien.

“We’ve some nice Wootton Bassetts this year, more than we’ve had before. We’re starting (the season) earlier and I was conscious that I didn’t want to have them ready to run in that ground because they have to be very fit, so if they are, they won’t make it through the summer.

“The Wootton Bassett out of Immortal Verse looks very smart, as does the Wootton Bassett out of Ennistymon. We’re just going gently with them.

“Wootton Bassett looks very different, we only had two colts last year and they were both very good – River Tiber and Unquestionable.”

World number five Andrey Rublev was sensationally defaulted after being accused of swearing at a line judge in the deciding set of his semi-final at the Dubai Open.

The combustible Russian was trailing 6-5 in the third against Alexander Bublik when he appeared to say something to the line judge.

ATP supervisor Roland Herfel came down to the court accompanied by a Russian speaker, who claimed Rublev had sworn in his native language.

Rublev protested, insisting he was speaking in English, while Bublik also backed his opponent.

“I didn’t say ‘f******’. I swear to God. This is huge. I swear to God,” said Rublev.

The offence would usually merit a warning in the first instance, but the 26-year-old was defaulted by umpire Miriam Bley amid jeers from the crowd in Dubai.

It was a controversial end to a tight match, with Kazakhstan’s Bublik progressing to the final 6-7 (4) 7-6 (5) 6-5.

Annaf could be in line for more Middle Eastern riches after his lucrative success in the Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint.

The five-year-old had a busy and profitable season last year, consistently turning up in top sprints and holding his own when often starting at outsider’s odds.

He was fourth when beaten two and three-quarter lengths at 50-1 in the Duke of York Stakes, after which he was defeated by the same margin at the same price when third in the Group One King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.

Even when taking up the lower places in the Hackwood, the Hopeful Stakes and the Sprint Cup, he was never beaten more than three and a half lengths when stepping up to six furlongs.

At Doncaster, he moved back half a furlong in the Portland and under top weight he claimed his first win of the turf season, a success he then followed up when landing the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in October.

He made his seasonal debut at Lingfield at the start of February, placing second in the Listed Kachy Stakes behind Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry – who subsequently landed the Hever Sprint Stakes at Southwell on Saturday afternoon.

The Saudi Turf Sprint was Annaf’s next destination, edging up to just shy of seven furlongs in a deep race that included the reigning champion Bathrat Leon from Japan, Kieran Cotter’s speedy filly Matilda Picotte and Tim Easterby’s British Champions Sprint Stakes winner Art Power.

Under a canny ride from Rossa Ryan having started in stall 12, they found space on the inside rail and were gaining ground constantly.

As others faded Annaf began to advance and ultimately crossed the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Japan’s La La Christine to take home nearly £1million in prize-money.

Appleby said: “He’s all good, he’s come out of the race fine.

“He did it really well, we were quite surprised at the price of him to be honest.

“He ran really well in the Kachy Stakes, we gave him a prep run in that and he went very well.

“The winner of that (Diligent Harry) came out and won the Listed race at Southwell, so the form has really stacked up.

“He’s always run well in good quality races and he’s always been thereabouts.”

A visit to Japan was mentioned in the immediate aftermath of the Saudi success, but connections have decided that the meeting comes too soon and he will instead return to the Middle East for the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

“He’ll more than likely go out to Dubai on World Cup night, he was invited to Japan, but we’ve decided not to go there as the race might come too soon for him and there’s a lot of travelling as well,” Appleby said.

“He’ll come home and then probably about a week before the race, he’ll fly out to Dubai.

“Then I imagine then it’ll be Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, all the big meetings.”

Appleby’s other sprint star is the rapid Big Evs, winner of the Windsor Castle, Molecomb, Flying Childers and then the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last year.

The colt has returned to training after his winter break and is progressing well as connections ponder where to begin his three-year-old campaign.

“He’s good, he’s wintered really well and he’s in training,” Appleby said.

“We’ve not really made our plans yet with him, but he’s on the go so he’ll run early season, we just don’t know where yet.”

Jamaican Alex Powell entered Round 5 of the F4 UAE Championship with a mathematical chance to win the title, but mechanical problems would hamper his weekend and ultimately scuttle his chances in the championship.

Powell started his quest on a strong note, securing P3 in both qualifying sessions on Saturday morning. However, during Race 1, his clutch started to slip, taking away any opportunity to challenge for the win and valuable points. With skillful management of the slipping clutch, he secured a 3rd place podium finish, although it wasn’t enough to keep him in contention for the overall championship.

In the reverse grid for Race 2, Powell started in P10, making his way through the field to 8th before half the distance of the race. An over-exuberant competitor forced Alex wide off track into a very sandy area; recovering from the excursion dropped Alex to 11th place, where he finished out of the points.

While any chance of a Top-3 finish in the championship was now gone, Alex could still finish in the Top-5 with a good result in Race 3. Unfortunately, disaster struck before the very start of the race. While waiting for the red lights to extinguish, signaling the start of the race, the clutch problems resurfaced, this time resulting in his car creeping forward before the actual start, then stalling completely. Powell was out of the race before it began and eventually finished 6th in the Driver’s championship.

Still, Powell's accumulated points proved to be crucial for the Team Championship, won by his Mumbai Falcons team. He also finished 2nd in the Rookie championship.

"Not the weekend we hoped for. Some mechanical circumstances were completely out of my control. A special thanks to Prema and the Mumbai Falcons team for all their hard work over the course of the championship! Let’s keep pushing, and I’m already looking forward to the F4 Italian Championship," Powell said after the event.

The 16-year-old Jamaican sensation will next compete in the F4 Italian Championship, beginning in May.

Dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin has a ticket to Dubai booked for the Sheema Classic as a mixed turf and dirt campaign beckons.

The Deep Impact colt is out of multiple Group One winner Rhododendron and lived up to his exceptional pedigree when taking both the Derby and Irish Derby last term.

He capped his domestic season by winning another Group One title in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, after which he set sail for Santa Anita and defeated a competitive field to land the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

After that performance there was some discussion as to whether he would retire to stud or stay in training, with connections sportingly choosing the latter option.

A winter break followed and the four-year-old is due to return in the Sheema Classic, run over a mile and a half at the Dubai World Cup fixture in Meydan in late March.

Auguste Rodin did a piece of work on the all-weather track at Dundalk ahead of the journey, after which he has a turf campaign pencilled in before connections expect to discuss running him on a dirt surface.

O’Brien – who runs Luxembourg and Tower Of London in Saudi Arabia on Saturday – said: “That’s the plan for him, the Sheema Classic, then we were thinking of going back for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and then maybe to Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s.

“We’ll have a look at racing him on the dirt after that, it’s very possible with these types of horses that you can push the boundaries a bit and explore a little bit and see what happens.

“He was at Dundalk on Friday, he went a mile and a quarter with three other horses and went very well.

“He came back then and started preparing for Dubai, that’s the plan.”

Johnson Charles and Maheesh Theekshana were the catalysts as the Sharjah Warriors moved into second on the International League T20 (IL T20) points table with a dominant nine-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Monday.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the Capitals were reduced to just 104 all out off 18.2 overs.

Sikandar Raza (22), Roelof van der Merwe (21), David Warner (16) and Rovman Powell (10) were the only Capitals batsmen to scratch double figures.

Theekshana produced a masterful spell of bowling to take 4-20 from his four overs while being well supported by Daniel Sams’ 3-28 off four.

The Warriors then needed only 13-1 overs to reach 105-1 and secure their third win in five games.

Charles top-scored with an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls including four fours and one six. Joe Denly was Charles’ partner at the crease with an unbeaten 23 off 16 balls. Earlier, Niroshan Dickwella made a 30-ball 37.

The Sir Alex Ferguson-owned Spirit Dancer will search for further international riches on Friday when he attempts to supplement his Bahrain International Trophy success in Meydan’s Jebel Hatta.

Owned by Ferguson alongside Fred Done and Ged Mason, Spirit Dancer gave the former Manchester United manager one of the best days of his racing life when the £500,000 connections earned through victory in the Persian Gulf eclipsed any single winner’s cheque the Scotsman picked up with the legendary Rock Of Gibraltar.

Trained by Richard Fahey, the son of Frankel – who was bred by Ferguson and Niall McLoughlin – has taken his time to fulfil his potential but is now rapidly climbing through the ranks as he prepares to line up in Group One company for the very first time.

Victory in Bahrain was Spirit Dancer’s fourth from his last five runs and although his owners are not able to make the trip to the UAE to cheer the seven-year-old on, connections are hopeful of tasting more overseas success in his first outing of 2024.

Fahey said: “It’s his first Group One and a tough race, a proper Group One and we’re looking forward to seeing him run. Everything is going well and he’s in great order.

“I’m afraid his owners can’t make it this time which is a big shame because I know they were keen to come, but it’s just fallen on the wrong day sadly.

“Sir Alex is used to winning, but he gets a good kick out of it, so let’s hope he runs well again.

“It was a great day (in Bahrain), a very enjoyable day and it’s always great to be a part of these big international meetings and Dubai is exceptional as well, so we’re looking forward to it.”

The Jebel Hatta – which also features 1000 Guineas heroine Mawj – is the beginning of what could be a busy few months for Spirit Dancer in the Middle East, with a trip to the Saudi Cup meeting next month and a return to Meydan on Dubai World Cup night pencilled in on the gelding’s calendar.

His win in Bahrain secures him an automatic spot into the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh on February 24, but he also has the option of switching to dirt for the fixture’s main event the $20,000,000 Saudi Cup.

“We’re certainly using this as a prep for Saudi and he will maybe just need the run,” continued Fahey.

“He will stay in the Middle East now for a few months and hopefully also get an invite for Dubai World Cup night.

“We haven’t decided yet (which race in Saudi Arabia) and we’re just keeping our options open. It’s very difficult to get away from a $20,000,000 race but the Neom Cup does look the easier race, so we will speak to the team and see what they think.”

Kieron Pollard’s half-century was not sufficient to prevent the MI Emirates from going down to a four-wicket loss to Gulf Giants in Qualifier 2 in Sharjah on Friday.

With the win Gulf Giants booked a place in Sunday’s 2023 ILT20 final where they will face Desert Vipers.

Coming off their emphatic eight-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals on Thursday MI Emirates looked a jaded team, scoring 167-5 from their 20 overs.

Pollard scored an unbeaten 57 from 35 balls while Nicholas Pooran contributed with 29 and opener Mohammad Waseem, 31.

Chris Jordan took 2-25 and David Wiese 2-31.

In reply, James Vince played a gem of an innings, scoring unbeaten 83 including the winning runs, a four off Fazalhaq Farooqi as Gulf Giants scored 168-6 from 18.1 overs.

Farooqi took 2-27 and Rashid Khan, 2-40 in the losing cause. Dwayne Bravo took 1-27.

Sherfane Rutherford’s heroics played a significant role in helping the Desert Vipers make their first-ever appearance in an ILT20 final on Wednesday.

After suffering a painful hamstring injury that forced him to leave the field, the Guyanese batsman returned to rescue his team smashing 37 off 19 deliveries including three consecutive sixes off David Wiese.

His heroics would help propel Desert Vipers to 178-7, which proved to be enough as the Vipers dismissed Gulf Giants for 159 in 19.4 overs.

During an interview on the Vipers Voices Podcast afterwards, Rutherford said he knew it was going to be his last game but he wanted to make an impact on the game and help his team.

“It was my idea (to go back out and bat). When I went in (after being injured), I asked my physio if I could go back and bat. He said no and that it was better I just relax,” he explained.

“I told him I could do it, and then he said he was going to discuss it with the coach. At that time Tom Moody was passing by and he said, ‘If he (Rutherford) wants to bat, let us trust him.’ I also knew it was going to be my last game (in the tournament) and I wanted to give it my all, and hopefully I could make an impact for the team.”

After arriving at the crease, he revealed his intentions to Tom Curran, his partner with whom he put on 52 runs which ultimately changed the direction of the match.

 “I knew I could not run, so I said (to Tom Curran) that I was going to try and get boundaries. So, I think that’s where we won the game,” Rutherford said.

The Desert Vipers are through to the first-ever final of the DP World ILT20 after a sensational 19-run win over the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. This was the Vipers’ first victory over the Giants in the tournament, having lost their two previous contests. 

Batting first Desert Vipers made 178-7 from their 20 overs before restricting the Gulf Giants to 159 all out off 19.4 overs.

Put into bat, the Vipers had a shaky start, losing their first three wickets for just 33 runs but they recovered to post a winning score in large part due to the heroics of Sherfane Rutherford, who returned to the field despite a painful hamstring injury to score 37 off 19 deliveries including three consecutive sixes off David Wiese.

Tom Curran shared a 52-run partnership with Rutherford, contributing a valuable 29 runs, and he took four wickets as well, earning him the Player of the Match award.

“Rutherford is in a bit of pain with his injury. Not sure how long he will be out for with his injury. I didn’t expect him to come back on the field like he did to be honest. But he showed great courage, and I think it is the environment we have created within the Desert Vipers, that (makes) people want to go out and perform for the team,” said team captain Colin Munro.

“The courage he showed to come out and bat on one leg was the turning point of the game. He hit the ball beautifully and changed the whole momentum of the game and put us in the driver’s seat. That was a great knock from him.”

 Munro also praised Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga for the impact they had on the match.

 “I think Tom Curran is a genuine all-rounder now. He used to be a bowler who could also bat at around number eight, but since coming into the Vipers he has been given the chance to go in at six and seven and show what he can do,” Munro said.

 “Hasaranga is a world class player, and he is up (the top) in the ICC T20 rankings, and he was in the (ICC T20 Men’s) Team of the Year. He was outstanding and to get those three wickets, (they) really put inroads in (the Gulf Giants batting line-up).

“They (Gulf Giants) got off to a really good start in the power play through James Vince and Chris Lynn.  I think the way Hasaranga came out and got a wicket in his first over put them under pressure, while also getting the run rate going up. This allowed our bowlers to settle in and use what the pitch had to offer.

 “We came here to qualify, number one, and once we got into the finals, it was about putting our best foot forward to make it to the final. Now we are there, and our next goal is to lift that trophy.”

Naturally, Head Coach James Foster was delighted with the performance and the outcome.

 “I am really chuffed for the whole team. I think they fought really hard throughout this campaign. I thought we had to show a lot of fight today, and a lot of character,” he said while speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast.

“After a positive start, we were three down for not too many (runs), and I thought Ronnie (Rohan Mustafa) got us off to a flyer but the brakes were put on us, and then we had to absorb a lot of pressure.

 “The partnership between Sam Billings and Wanindu Hasaranga was huge in the context of the game. They had to rebuild, but also had to show intent and keep that scoreboard ticking.”

He, too, was full of praise for Rutherford.

 “When Rutherford came out and then pulled up with that hamstring injury, you thought the worst. But the fact that he was happy to go back out there (was great for the team). It was his idea and his thought, and he was really keen,” he said.

“So at the drop of the next wicket he went out there and that was some unbelievable ball-striking, bearing in mind he was on one leg. To hit the ball in the areas that he did, with the power that he possesses, which we have seen throughout this campaign, came to fruition tonight.

 “What a platform the ILT20 is to showcase what Rutherford can do. I am really pleased for him, he is such a top man, such a nice guy and so humble. In the same breath (I am) devastated for him, about picking up an injury.”

An aggressive half-century from Shimron Hetmyer helped propel Gulf Giants to a five-wicket victory over Desert Vipers in the ILT20 league in Dubai on Sunday.

Hetmyer scored 70 from just 35 balls as Gulf Giants scored 196-5 to win with three balls to spare. Despite the impressive knock from the Guyanese batsman, he did not do it alone as Chris Lynn was equally impressive scoring 71 from 42 balls in the winning effort.

Lynn and Hetmyer’s partnership of 117 from 56 balls helped get Gulf Giants’ chase back on track after they had lost Tom Banton, James Vince and Rehan Amhed for three, four and one, respectively, with only 30 runs on the board.

Hetmyer was eventually dismissed in the 14^th over having hit five sixes and five fours. Lynn fell in the 17^th leaving the dependable David Weise and Liam Dawson to take the Giants to victory.

Weise was unbeaten on 22 from 19 balls while Dawson was not out on 16 from just nine balls in the end.

Sheldon Cottrell was the best of the Vipers’ bowlers with 2-24 from his four overs.

Earlier, Vipers owed their challenging total to Alex Hales 99 from just 57 balls. He hit 10 fours and five sixes in his knock and got support from Colin Munro, who scored 39 from 23 balls and Sherfane Rutherford, who contributed 27 from 15 balls as Desert Vipers scored 195-4 from their allotment.

It proved to be a tough target but one that Hetmyer and Lynn were able to achieve.