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 and burned their way to 122 in the 20th over - a total that Emirates chased down in the 14th over.

Farooqi and Romario Shepherd got the bowling side going as they snuffed out Phil Salt and Alex Hales inside the PowerPlay, leaving the batting side down to 25/2 in the fourth over. In the middle-phase, Mendis stepped in to wreak havoc. Knight Riders went from 49/2 in the eighth over to 74/5 in 11th, with all three of Brandon McMullen, Liam Livingstone and Sherfane Rutherford falling to the Sri Lankan spinner.

Alishan Sharfu and Sunil Narine pushed the team past the 100-run mark and briefly there was promise of a total close to 150. But Farooqi came back and wrecked those dreams. Rashid Khan first broke the sixth-wicket partnership with Sharfu's wicket and then Farooqi ran through what remained in the innings with the wickets of Holder, Kharry Pierre and Ajay Kumar. Zahoor Khan dismissed Narine and the Knight Riders finished on 122.

Muhammad Waseem and Jonny Bairstow flew off the blocks in chase, adding 33 by the fourth over when Ajay had the former caught behind. Holder ruffled some feathers by dismissing Nicholas Pooran in the fifth over but a 64-run partnership ensued, between Tom Banton and Bairstow, putting the game well beyond the reach of the bowling side.

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