CMC – ANDRE Russell’s fireworks made little difference as winless Abu Dhabi Knight Riders stretched their losing streak to eight games with an 18-run defeat to Kieron Pollard’s MI Emirates here Friday.

Handed 181 as a target at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Knight Riders collapsed for 162 at the start of the final over, to remain rooted at the bottom of the standings in the International League T20 with a single point from nine games.

West Indies all-rounder Russell made a fist of it, however, lashing 42 from 22 balls with five fours and two sixes but lacked support. Opener Joe Clarke was the only other batsman to pass 20 with 22 from 17 deliveries.

The West Indies trio of Brandon King (19), captain Sunil Narine (11) and Akeal Hosein (0) all failed, with veteran former West Indies medium pacer Dwayne Bravo slicing through the innings with three for 37 from four overs.

For Emirates, the victory was their fifth and left them on 11 points in third place – only three points off leaders Desert Vipers.

Sent in, they mustered 180 for four from their 20 overs, with opener Muhammad Waseem top-scoring with 60 from 43 deliveries and Pollard smashing 17-ball 43.

Lorcan Tucker, with 33, and West Indies opener Andre Fletcher, 22, played supporting roles as Emirates paced their innings well from the outset.

Waseem, who struck one four and half-dozen sixes, put on 35 for the first wicket with Fletcher before adding a further 87 for the second wicket with Tucker.

When Waseem and Tucker fell to successive deliveries in successive overs with no addition to the score at 122 for three at the start of the 16th over, Pollard arrived to rally the innings, belting four fours and three sixes to dominate a 56-run, fourth wicket partnership with fellow Trinidadian and former West Indies white-ball captain, Nicholas Pooran (10 not-out).

In reply, Knight Riders were in early trouble at 53 for three in the seventh over before Russell entered to inspire a 27-run, fourth wicket stand with Clarke and a 34-run partnership with Connor Esterhuizen (17).

But once Russell flayed a Zahoor Khan (2-33) full toss to Waseem at deep mid-wicket, all Knight Riders’ hopes disappeared with him.