MI Emirates Vs Dubai Capitals Match Report
On a thrilling night at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, MI Emirates defeated the Dubai Capitals by 26 runs in the International League T20 2025 (ILT20 2025) -the fourth match in the tournamet that exhibited a good deal of fireworks and strategic gameplay from both the teams.
Batting first, MI Emirates scored 187 for 7 in their 20 overs; after losing Kusal Perera for just 5 runs, Dushmantha Chameera came to the crease. But Muhammad Waseem and Tom Banton gained a solid hold on the innings, posting a partnership of 38 before Waseem was run out after scoring 18 runs. Later, Banton took control of the match with a blistering 74 runs off 52 balls including singles, ninth, and second singles. Olly Stone might have pulled the wickets apart from Banton, but before that, he had made a big contribution to his team’s score.
The real fireworks came from poor Nicholas who unleashed a phenomenal 59 runs off just 29 balls, including 6 sixes and 2 fours, making his finishing prowess very much visible. A meaningful partnership between Nicholas and Kieron Pollard was orchestrated, with the latter contributing 22 runs off 19 balls. Though MI Emirates lost three wickets for just 2 runs in the last over during a collapse, the team put up a total that could quite defend the goal against the Dubai Capitals.
Dubai Capitals’ run chase began brightly with a determined Ben Dunk and Shai Hope. Though Dunk only managed 10 before his dismissal, Shai Hope really took flight-scoring 101 runs from just 59 balls, which included 11 fours and 3 sixes. With a contribution of 16 runs from Brandon McMullen, it was up to the middle order to maintain the momentum. Captain Sikandar Raza fell for only 6, bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi. But the middle order failed to spark up the things as the wickets falling from one side.
Shanaka and Naib fell quickly, the runs they made proving to be minimal. Powell stood at 8 not out, trying to hold things together but receiving little help from the remaining batsmen. In the end, the Capitals scored 161 for 6, falling 26 runs short.
The attack from MI Emirates was spearheaded by Alzarri Joseph, who claimed 2 for 43, and was well backed up by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Akeal Hosein, both economical and claiming crucial wickets. Waqar Salamkheil contributed one more, having McMullen stumped out with a good piece of bowling.
This match demonstrated the importance of starting solidly in T20 cricket, with explosive players like Pooran being really handy, as they can breathe life into the game. It became clear, therefore, that Dubai Capitals needs a lot of work on their middle and lower orders to remain with the run chase.
Also Read: Sharjah Warriors Won A Thriller Against Gulf Giants
The encounter provided yet another exciting chapter in this ILT20 2025 as MI Emirates showed why they are one of the teams to watch out for.
