In the brutal world of T20 franchise cricket, finishing top of the table after the round robin stage does not guarantee a place in the final.
The Gulf Giants finished top but had to play second-placed team, Desert Vipers, in the first qualifier, the winner of which would go straight through to the final.
In their 10 matches, the Gulf Giants had lost only one match, won seven and had two abandoned by rain. The Desert Vipers won seven of their 10 games and lost three, two of which were to the Gulf Giants, both at Dubai.
The portents seemed to be with the Giants, who won the toss and chose to bowl. Rohan Mustafa adopted his normal aggressive approach, striking Sanchit Sharma for two towering sixes through mid-wicket and behind square leg.
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