Mendis, Farooqi set up MI Emirates' big win

Kamindu Mendis ran the show in the middle-overs and Fazalhaq Farooqi mopped up the tail as the duo accounted for seven wickets in MI Emirates' comfortable seven-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The Knight Riders crashed to 122 in the 20th over—a total Emirates chased down in the 14th over.

Farooqi and Romario Shepherd struck early, removing Phil Salt and Alex Hales inside the PowerPlay, leaving the batting side at 25/2 in the fourth over. In the middle-phase, Mendis stepped in to wreak havoc. Knight Riders slid from 49/2 in the eighth over to 74/5 in the 11th, with Brandon McMullen, Liam Livingstone, and Sherfane Rutherford all falling to the Sri Lankan spinner.

Alishan Sharfu and Sunil Narine pushed the team past 100, briefly promising a total near 150. But Farooqi returned to wreck those hopes. Rashid Khan broke the sixth-wicket partnership by dismissing Sharfu, and then Farooqi ran through the tail, taking the wickets of Jason Holder, Kharry Pierre, and Ajay Kumar. Zahoor Khan dismissed Narine, and Knight Riders finished on 122.

Muhammad Waseem and Jonny Bairstow flew off the blocks in the chase, adding 33 by the fourth over when Ajay had Waseem caught behind. Holder dismissed Nicholas Pooran in the fifth over, but a 64-run partnership between Tom Banton and Bairstow put the game well beyond reach.

When Pierre dismissed Banton for a 20-ball 29 in the 13th over, Emirates were just 13 away from victory. Mendis walked out next and slammed the winning six off Olly Stone in the 14th over.

Brief scores: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 122 in 19.3 overs (Alishan Sharfu 38, Sunil Narine 26; Fazalhaq Farooqi 4-14, Kamindu Mendis 3-21) lost to MI Emirates 123/3 in 13.5 overs (Jonny Bairstow 49*, Tom Banton 29; Jason Holder 1-11) by 7 wickets.