AI Simulation, GAW vs ABF | Hope’s match-winning knock guides Warriors to beat Falcons by five wickets

Pitch and Weather

The pitch had a tinge of grass but looked dry underneath – expected to assist spinners as the game progressed. Dew might make chasing slightly easier later.

It was a humid evening in Providence with a light breeze, with the temperature hovering around 31 degrees Celsius.

Toss

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons won the toss and decided to bat first.

Lineups

GAW XI: Ben McDermott, Moeen Ali, Shai Hope (WK), Shimron Hetmyer, Hassan Khan, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Romario Shepherd, Quentin Sampson, Gudakesh Motie, Imran Tahir (C).

ABF XI: Amir Jangoo (WK), Andries Gous, Karima Gore, Kevin Wickham, Shakib Al Hasan, Fabian Allen, Imad Wasim (C), Shamar Springer, Obed McCoy, Jayden Seales, Salman Irshad.   

Match Report

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons won the toss and decided to bat first. The opening pair of Amir Jangoo and Andries Gous could add only 24 runs for the first wicket in 3.4 overs. It came to an end when Jangoo miscued a pull shot and ended up getting caught by Shai Hope off Romario Shepherd’s delivery on the fourth ball of the fourth over. Jangoo scored 18 runs off 15 balls, with three fours. Following his dismissal, number three batter Karima Gore (10) also fell cheaply at the team score of 45 runs on the fifth ball of the seventh over. Furthermore, Gous and Kevin Wickham added 23 runs for the third wicket before the former was dismissed by Dwaine Pretorious after scoring 32 runs off 26 balls, with four fours and a six. Wickham stayed there in the middle and added another crucial partnership of 34 runs for the fourth wicket with Shakib Al Hasan. Wickham scored 25 (21), followed by Shakib’s 27 (19). The further contribution of Fabian Allen (16 runs off 11 balls) took the Falcons’ score to 152/8 in the allotted 20 overs. The bowling attack of the Warriors performed brilliantly, led by Romario Shepherd (two wickets for 28 runs in his four overs) and Dwaine Pretorius (two wickets for 26 runs in his four-over spell). They also had support from skipper Imran Tahir, who claimed a wicket for 29 runs in his quota of four overs.

While chasing the target, the Warriors lost Ben McDermott (21) early in the fourth over at the team score of 26 runs. He misjudged Obed McCoy’s yorker, which eventually rattled the stumps, ending his brilliant start. After an early blow, the pair of Moeen Ali and wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope stitched a game-defining partnership of 44 runs for the second wicket. Both the batters accelerated the scoring rate in the run chase for the Warriors during the phase from the fourth over to the ninth over. It came to an end when Jayden Seales dismissed Ali on the fifth ball of the ninth over, getting him caught by Amir Jangoo. Ali scored 34 runs off 24 balls, with two fours and as many sixes. Later, Hope stitched another partnership of 34 runs for the third wicket with Shimron Hetmyer (17) before the latter fell prey to Shakib Al Hasan. Hope continued adding his crucial contribution with another 23-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Hassan Khan. Irshad ended Hope’s knock in the 16th over, getting him caught by skipper Imad Wasim. Hope scored 39 runs off 30 balls, with four fours and a six. The late contributions of Hassan Khan (10) and Keemo Paul’s unbeaten 19* (11), with a four and a six, helped the Warriors chase down the target in 18.4 overs, scoring 153/5. With this win, the Warriors have moved to the third spot in the tournament’s points table, getting two more points added to their name.

Player of the Match

Warriors’ wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his exceptional batting performance, scoring 39 runs off 30 balls, with four fours and a six. His three partnerships with Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer, and Hassan Khan played a pivotal role in the Warriors’ successful run chase.

Scorecard