In a thrilling encounter at the Dubai International Stadium, the Dubai Capitals edged out the Desert Vipers in a last-ball finish, securing their place in the final of the DP World ILT20 season three. An all-round masterclass from Gulbadin Naib, who followed up his third consecutive half-century against the Vipers with a crucial two-wicket haul, helped the Capitals clinch a five-wicket victory.
The victory not only marked the second-highest run chase at the venue in T20 history but also extended the Capitals’ dominance over the Vipers with a fifth consecutive win against the side.
Earlier, the Vipers, led by a blistering knock of 67 runs off just 32 balls from Alex Hales, got off to a flying start. Hales combined with Max Holden for a 98-run partnership to give the Vipers momentum. However, the Capitals fought back superbly with the ball, limiting the Vipers to 189/7 and setting up a dramatic chase.
The Dubai Capitals, chasing a daunting target, began the powerplay cautiously, accumulating 47 runs without losing a wicket. Adam Rossington put the pressure on, striking three boundaries off Sam Curran in the fifth over. But despite his aggressive intent, the Capitals began to fall behind as the Vipers made key breakthroughs.
Shai Hope’s run-a-ball knock of 17 ended when he was dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga in the seventh over, and Rossington was cleaned up by Lockie Ferguson for 44 runs in the 10th over, leaving the Capitals at 67/2.
Naib and captain Sam Billings stepped up to recalibrate the chase, with Billings attacking Mohammad Amir in the 12th over, hitting two fours and a six. He continued his assault, reverse-sweeping Hasaranga for three fours and a six in the following over. Unfortunately, a mix-up in the 14th over led to Billings’ run-out after scoring 38 runs off 16 balls, leaving the Capitals needing 52 runs from 30 balls.
Naib remained composed, and when Rovman Powell joined him, the pair pushed on with the chase. Powell raced to 20 before being dismissed by David Payne in the 18th over. With 12 runs required from the final over, Naib squeezed six runs from the first two balls. A dropped catch by Dhruv Parashar kept the tension high, but Naib was dismissed on the next ball, leaving the scores tied. Sikandar Raza struck a boundary on the final ball to seal the win for the Capitals.
Earlier, in the first innings, UAE’s Farhan Khan gave the Capitals an early breakthrough by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over. The Vipers’ opening pair of Hales and Holden took control during the powerplay, guiding the team to 64/1. Hales, particularly destructive, was dropped in the fifth over before taking full advantage, dispatching Raza for two consecutive sixes in the seventh over and reaching a 28-ball fifty. Hales’ knock included seven fours and three sixes, marking his ninth half-century in the DP World ILT20.
Despite the strong start, the Capitals fought back with tight bowling. The first seven overs produced 84 runs, but the next seven overs saw just 45 runs, thanks to disciplined spells from spinners Haider Ali and Qais Ahmad. Hales was caught off Naib’s bowling in the ninth over, and Holden was dismissed by Ahmad for 36 runs in the 10th over, leaving the Vipers at 107/3.
With the Vipers’ momentum slowing, Curran and Dan Lawrence took a cautious approach to rebuild. They reached 136/3 in 15 overs, but Curran’s two sixes off Qais were followed by his dismissal for 24 runs. The Vipers’ lower order failed to capitalize, with Rutherford and Hasaranga falling cheaply. Lawrence top-scored with 35 runs before being dismissed in the 19th over. However, Khuzaima Tanveer’s late flourish of 15 runs in five balls, including a six and two fours, helped the Vipers reach 189/7 in their 20 overs.
Naib was named Player of the Match, reflecting on his performance: “When you’ve played a good game before, you remind yourself of that. I was reminded of the previous fifties I got. I took some time at the start. I can bat anywhere, and number three now is my lucky number. I love pressure games. I used my variations with the ball, and I used the surface to my advantage.”
Desert Vipers’ captain Ferguson acknowledged the difficulty of the match: “It was a tough night, but it was a great game of cricket. Dew came on, and that made it challenging for us. We were unfortunate not to come out on top. Alex Hales played really well, and it’s T20 cricket—anything can happen.”
The MI Emirates will face the Sharjah Warriorz in the eliminator on Thursday, with the winner set to meet the Dubai Capitals for a spot in the final.
Brief Scores:
- Desert Vipers: 189/7 in 20 overs (Alex Hales 67, Max Holden 36, Dan Lawrence 35; Gulbadin Naib 2/25, Qais Ahmad 2/29)
- Dubai Capitals: 193/5 in 20 overs (Gulbadin Naib 62, Adam Rossington 44, Sam Billings 38; Lockie Ferguson 2/32, David Payne 1/31)
