Gulf Giants Crowned Champions of DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024

After defeating the ILT20 Pearls by six wickets in the final, Gulf Giants Development were declared the winners of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024. Shival Bawa's spectacular half-century and the crucial assistance of Vriitya Arvind, Hameed Khan, and Muhammad Saghir Khan propelled the Giants' run chase.

Earlier in the day, the Pearls posted 185/5 thanks to Yassir Kaleem's half-century. Additionally, Rohan Mustafa gave the Pearls a thorough effort with the bat and ball, but it was in vain.  

Cricket fans, as well as the players' friends and relatives, enthusiastically cheered from the stands throughout Wednesday's final at the ICC Academy Oval 1. With the crucial draft scheduled for October 23, the competition notably gives UAE players an opportunity to secure one of 12 coveted spots in the six DP World ILT20 Season 3 squads.

After Rohan Mustafa removed Muhammad Irfan and Samal Udawantha from the game, the Giants' run chase collapsed to 20/2. Shival Bawa joined Giants captain Vriitya Arvind, and the two scored an important 80-run partnership.

Uzair Khan dismissed Vriitya Arvind for 34 runs, but Shival Bawa went undefeated and led the Giants home with 63 runs. Shival Bawa hit three sixes and five fours in his 48-ball knock.

Before being sent out by Rohan Mustafa in the sixteenth over, Hameed Khan too made a quick contribution, scoring 27 runs in 13 balls. Muhammad Saghir Khan's powerful innings of 33 runs in 11 balls then helped Shival Bawa as the Giants chased down the target in 19 overs. 

Alishan Sharafu's quick-fire 35-run knock in 15 balls, which included four sixes and two fours, gave the ILT20 Pearls an explosive start to the day. Rohan Mustafa, who scored 33 runs in 37 balls, served as the anchor at the opposite end. Before Muhammad Irfan removed Sharafu in the fifth over, the first two had amassed 54 runs. Asif Khan, who only scored one run, will also be taken into account by Irfan.

After hitting seven sixes en route to 72 runs in 45 deliveries, Yassir Kaleem stayed undefeated and emerged as the Pearls' highest scorer.  

Aayan Azfal Khan, meanwhile, took out Uzair Khan and Rohan Mustafa in the fourteenth over. The next player to leave was Kamran Atta, who was Muhammad Zuhaib's only wicket of the evening.

With a slick knock of 24 runs in just 15 balls, Shahrukh Ahmed and Yassir Kaleem wrote the Pearls' victory. In 20 overs, the Pearls reached 185/5 at the end of the innings.

As its second edition comes to an end, the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024 has continued to showcase some of the best players in the area. After scoring 307 runs for the ILT20 Thunderbolts, Raees Ahmed was the tournament's top scorer, and Uzair Khan was the top wicket-taker with 16 for the Pearls

Short Scores

ILT20 Pearls were defeated by Gulf Giants Development by six wickets.

Yassir Kaleem 72, Alishan Sharafu 35, Rohan Mustafa 33, Muhammad Irfan 2 for 28, Aayan Afzal Khan 2 for 31, Muhammad Zuhaib 1 for 33, ILT20 Pearls 185/5 in 20 overs 186/4 in 20 overs (Shival Bawa 63*, Vriitya Arvind 34, Muhammad Saghir) for Gulf Giants Development

Uzair Khan 1 for 29, Khan 33*, and Rohan Mustafa 3 for 36)