Abu Dhabi,
The MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the ILT20 season as they rode on half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran to clinch a 26-run win against the Dubai Capitals in the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Shai Hope was the star of the match as he scored a magnificent century of 101 runs in 59 balls, but it went in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s over, where he picked up two wickets and conceded just three runs, turned the course of the game in favour of the MI Emirates.
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin as Akeal Hosein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over. Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but the chance went begging as Waqar Salamkheil dropped a sitter. Shai Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb as the MI Emirates sealed an emphatic victory.
Earlier in the evening, MI Emirates stuttered early on as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusala Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game. Tom Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates some much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with MI Emirates putting up 50/2, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways.
Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls. Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187-7.
Brief scores:
MI Emirates bt Dubai Capitals by 26 runs
MI Emirates 187-7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 74, Nicholas Pooran 59, Kieron Pollard 22, Gulbadin Naib 3 for 27)
Dubai Capitals 161-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 101, Brandon McMullen 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 22)