Gloucestershire beat Worcestershire by 2 wickets (with 6 balls remaining) – T20 Blast Match Report
Gloucestershire won by 2 wickets (with 6 balls remaining) in the 92nd match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 at New Road, Worcester. Kamran Dhariwal produced one of the performances of the season – 70 off just 22 balls with a strike rate of 318 – to steer Gloucestershire home in a pulsating finish. The win lifts Gloucestershire to 3rd (7W 4L, 28pts) while Worcestershire remain 7th (6W 5L, 24pts) and face mounting pressure in the group stage.
Worcestershire Post 181
Worcestershire won the toss and elected to bat, but their innings never quite caught fire despite some spirited contributions. Isaac Mohammed fell early for 15 at 38/1 in the 5th over, followed swiftly by Daniel Lategan for just 2 at 8/2 in the 2nd over. Gareth Roderick anchored the middle overs with 44 off 36 balls (2 fours, 1 six) before being clean bowled at 86/3 in the 12th over. Brett D’Oliveira struck 31 off 23 (4 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 135, but the real fireworks came from Kashif Ali, who blazed 58 off just 24 balls (2 fours, 6 sixes) at a strike rate of 242 to lift Worcestershire past 180. Henry Cullen chipped in with 27 off 16 (4 fours, 1 six) late in the innings.
James Hayes was the standout bowler for Gloucestershire, taking 2/14 from 3 overs at an economy of 4.67. Matthew Taylor took 1/41 from 4 overs, while Liam Scott claimed 1/16 from 2 and Jack Taylor picked up 1/28 from 3.
Gloucestershire Chase Down 182
D’Arcy Short came out swinging for Gloucestershire, striking 26 off 13 balls (4 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 200 before falling at 39/1 in the 4th over. Dawid Malan contributed 14 off 16 at 56/2, and Miles Hammond added 16 off 20 before the middle order collapsed. Liam Scott managed 13 off 14 before falling at 73/4 in the 10th over, leaving Gloucestershire at 73/4 and needing 109 off 60 balls.
Then came Dhariwal’s masterclass. The Gloucestershire batter smashed 70 off just 22 balls – 4 fours and 8 sixes – at a strike rate of 318.18, single-handedly shifting the match decisively in his side’s favour. His 80-run stand with Jack Taylor (7 off 7) took Gloucestershire from 73/4 to 153/5 in the 15th over, effectively settling the contest. Though James Bracey fell for 4 at 159/7 and Matthew Taylor was stumped for 6 at 166/9, Graeme van Buuren (16 off 8, 1 four, 1 six) and Marchant de Lange (2 not out) guided Gloucestershire home with 6 balls remaining.
Ben Allison took 2/28 from 3 overs for Worcestershire, while Usama Mir claimed 2/38 from 4 and Fateh Singh picked up 2/16 from 3. Tom Taylor took 1/41 from 4 and Matthew Waite claimed 1/35 from 4.
Statz MVP: Kamran Dhariwal (Statz Rating: 124.94)
Kamran Dhariwal earns the Statz MVP award with a Statz Rating of 124.94 – a dominant display in a match-winning innings. His 70 off 22 balls at a strike rate of 318 was the difference between the two sides, turning a tense chase into a commanding victory. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Dhariwal’s explosive contribution in the critical phase of the chase was as decisive as it gets.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Kamran Dhariwal (GLO) – Statz Rating: 124.94 | 70 off 22 (SR 318, 4 fours, 8 sixes) – Explosive match-winning display in the chase.
- Kashif Ali (WOR) – Statz Rating: 95.29 | 58 off 24 (SR 242, 2 fours, 6 sixes) – Brilliant counter-attack in the first innings.
- James Hayes (GLO) – Statz Rating: 90.57 | 2/14 from 3 overs at economy 4.67 – Miserly and match-winning bowling under pressure.
- Fateh Singh (WOR) – Statz Rating: 65.31 | 2/16 from 3 overs at economy 5.33 – Tight bowling in the chase.
- D’Arcy Short (GLO) – Statz Rating: 61.76 | 26 off 13 (SR 200, 4 fours, 1 six) – Aggressive start to the chase.
Turning Point
The match turned when Kamran Dhariwal arrived at the crease with Gloucestershire at 73/4 in the 10th over, needing 109 off 60 balls. His explosive 70 off 22 balls – featuring 8 sixes – transformed the contest from a genuine contest into a procession. By the time he fell caught at 153/5 in the 15th over, Gloucestershire needed just 29 off 24 balls with 6 wickets remaining – a formality.
Match Context
This was the 92nd match of 115 in the T20 Blast 2026 group stage. Gloucestershire (3rd, 7W 4L, 28pts) move to within touching distance of the top two with a crucial away win. Worcestershire (7th, 6W 5L, 24pts) slip further behind in the race for qualification. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, and check the bet builder for indicative odds on future meetings between these sides.
