ILT20 | Spin to win as Capitals trump table-toppers to strengthen playoff chances
Dubai Capitals won back-to-back matches to solidify their playoff chances in a low-scoring contest in Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Max Holden and Tom Banton set the tone for a winning total and the Emirates batters failed to produce the goods against Haider Ali and Zahir Khan’s wily spin.
Brief scores: DC 147/9 [Max Holden 51(33), Tom Banton 37(26); Dan Mousley 4-0-22-2] beat MIE 128 [Andre Fletcher 45(38), Jordan Thompson 17(20); Haider Ali 4-0-16-3] by 19 runs
The must-win affair for Dubai Capitals kicked off well after Tom Banton and Max Holden gave a solid start to the side inside the powerplay. The pair stamped their authority against the pacers before two consecutive silent overs, to sum up a 57-run powerplay. It was Waqar Salemkheil who fragmented the 88-run partnership by getting the better of Holden (51) in the 10th over and Bravo struck down his opening partner in the following over. Although Leus du Plooy tried to carry the baton forward, he failed to pick up from his marvelous SA20 form and was cleaned up by Dan Mousley in the 13th over. Eventually, the Emirates spinners regulated the middle overs phase brilliantly with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Mousley finishing with two scalps each and leading the path to restrict them at 147/9.
Unlike their counterparts, the Emirates got off to a poor start with Kusal Perera getting cleaned up by Scott Kuggleijn following a couple of dropped chances. Andre Fletcher joined Muhammad Waseem and the duo added 29 runs together before the latter was cleaned up by Haider Ali in the fifth over. Zahir Khan joined forces with Ali and the spin pair wreaked havoc in the Emirates middle order to reduce them to 71/5 halfway through the innings. Meanwhile, Fletcher (45) came out firing as a warrior and glued 34 runs together with Jordan Thompson before they followed each other back to the hut in the 16th and 17th over. The equation was reduced to 37 needed off the final three overs and the Emirates lower order could produce just 17 runs off it despite an array of dropped catches, thereby losing by 19 runs.
Big win!
WE WON LOVE YOU @Dubai_Capitals 😭❤️❤️❤️🐯😘
— Om Mishra (@Ommishra09) February 10, 2024
Pak moment!
WARRA pak moment by dubai capitals 😭😭🤣
— rezhu (@reshu420) February 10, 2024
Superb
What a Spell. Career Best T20 Bowling figures for Haider Ali 3/16@Dubai_Capitals #ILT20 #DCvMIE
— JaayShaan (VaidhyaJayaShankar) (@JaayShaan) February 10, 2024
What a mess
@MIEmirates messing it up after scoring 50 in the first five overs.
— Shivam Mittal (@ShivamM22661008) February 10, 2024
The pitch slowed down post powerplay, and sam thing happened for Dubai Capitals after first 10 overs.
Andre Fletcher will have to play against his nature to win this game for his team#ILT20 #MIEvDCP
Into the final 4
Dubai captials into semis 🕺🕺 #ILT20
— Ramki (@YoungTgrNTR) February 10, 2024
Eliminated
Desert Vipers out of ILT20….. yayyyyyy…. Hopefully Hales and Munro will be available from match 1 now… next target is Gulf giants. 🤞
— Usama Zafar (@Usama7) February 10, 2024
Good point
Gotta feel for Scott Kuggleijn! Wonder if it was prime Shoaib Akhter instead of the Kiwi what the reactions would be on those many dropped chances.
— Arijit Kundu (@_arijitkundu_) February 10, 2024
Very poor day in the field for the Capitals.#ILT20 #DCvsMIE #CricketTwitter
True
sikandar raza trying hard to give 5 wides since last 2 overs #ilt20
— consumer zero (@realconsumer1) February 10, 2024
Not good
It's looks like Polard loosing 2nd game as a captain in #ILT20 too
— Anand Rai (@RaiAnand7) February 10, 2024
But good thing is MI have already qualified for playoffs #ILT20 #CricketTwitter
What a shame!
Pollard's been a letdown as both captain and player for every MI team #ILT20
— Ayushman (@ayushmannhere) February 10, 2024