The seventh match of ILT20 2023 witnessed Abu Dhabi Knight Riders losing their third match in a row as Desert Vipers registered their second win in a row. One of three unbeaten teams in the tournament thus far, Vipers are at the second position on the points table. Knight Riders, on the other hand, are reeling at the bottom of the table after becoming the second team to lose three matches.
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Chasing a mediocre 134-run target didn’t require any special performance on the part of Vipers’ batters especially after opener Alex Hales scored a match-winning 64 (47) at a strike rate of 136.17 comprising seven fours and a six.
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Hales’ opening partner Rohan Mustafa (23) might not have reached an individual milestone but he did hit five fours during his 11-ball stay to provid a quickfire start to his team at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight.
Ball boy helps Sabir Ali in ILT20 2023 match
An otherwise lesser interesting match was witness to a moment of jocularity when a ball boy perhaps couldn’t resist a temptation to get involved in the match.
It all happened on the fourth delivery of the 15th over when Vipers all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford (11*) cut a Sunil Narine (3 and 1/26) delivery towards the right of pacer Sabir Ali at backward point. Having dismissed Hales in the same over, Narine was bowling with a slip to a new batter. Hence, there was ample space behind point for the batter to cut a short ball.
While Ali left no stone unturned in preventing the ball from touching the boundary rope to save a run in the process, a ball boy stationed around that area presumed of the otherwise. Thinking of the ball touching the rope, he entered the playing area in his quest to return the ball.
However, upon realizing that Ali was still in the process of saving a run, the kid innocently returned the ball to the fielder before returning to his position as if nothing had happened.
“Well, you gotta love the ball boy getting involved. Good lad! He says ‘You guys are not playing too well. I will give you a hand’. Big smile on his face,” commentators were heard on live commentary.
With Sam Billings (35*) and Rutherford hitting a four and a six in the following Andre Russell (0 and 1/37) over respectively, the match had come to a conclusion within six balls after this incident.
