Dubai Capitals defeat Gulf Giants in DP World ILT20

Dasun Shanaka was instrumental in helping the Dubai Capitals register a comprehensive win against the Gulf Giants, at the Dubai International Stadium.

The Dubai Capitals won by five wickets and eight deliveries to spare as Shanaka threw the kitchen sink at the Gulf Giants, to seal an important win.  
Asked to bat first, the Gulf Giants’ skipper James Vince looked to attack from the get-go. At the other end though, Obed McCoy gave the Dubai Capitals their first wicket, as he dismissed Ibrahim Zadran for three. Vince, who hit four boundaries in his 24, was joined by Jordan Cox and kept the scoreboard moving for the Gulf Giants.

Just before the end of the powerplay, Vince was dismissed, and early in the seventh over, Tom Alsop was knocked over for two by Zahir Khan. From then on in, Cox took charge, and had good support from Gerhard Erasmus.

Even though the Dubai Capitals kept things tight, Cox and Erasmus rebuilt, and put on a 69-run stand to give the Giants some momentum in the final phase of the innings. Erasmus though departed for 29, and shortly after, Cox completed his half-century and now had the big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer for company.

Hetmyer and Cox were looking to score quickly, but the Dubai Capitals’ bowling kept them firmly in check. In the final over of the innings, Cox was run-out for a well-made 70, which helped the Gulf Giants post a competitive 153/5 in 20 overs. Hetmyer remained unbeaten on 17.

In response, Ben Dunk and Shai Hope started off steadily, and were looking to set up the platform for the chase for the Dubai Capitals. Dunk though could not bat long and fell for 10, and Khalid Shah added 10 more to the cause, both falling as they looked to go long, which gave the Gulf Giants the advantage, momentarily.

Gulbadin Naib joined Hope after that, and the duo found the gaps well, picking up a series of important boundaries as the Dubai Capitals fought back. Gulbadin though was the next to depart for 17 as Aayan Khan picked up his second wicket. Najibullah Zadran could not stick around for too long after that, and was back in the hut for seven, which brought captain Sikandar Raza to the middle, along side Hope.

Raza and Hope put on 33 runs together, which steadied the ship. The Dubai Capitals needed a strong partnership, and Hope along with Raza were able to set up the platform for the big launch in the final overs. Hope was packed off for 47 by Blessing Muzarabani, who then went onto concede 18 runs in the over as Dasun Shanaka started off in fifth gear.

Shanaka continued his attack on the Gulf Giants bowling right through and finished off the contest two sixes, a boundary and a single in the 19th over. Shanaka finished unbeaten on 34 off 10 deliveries while Raza had 26 from 15.

Player of the match Shai Hope said, “I am just trying to grow and for that I have got to adapt quickly and improve my game. And I got to continue doing it. I want to improve every time I get on to the field.”

Gulf Giants’ captain James Vince said, “Shanaka was able to strike it cleanly and he took it away from us in the last 3 overs. It was a much better performance from us overall and we felt it was a decent score.”