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Mon, Jan 19, 2026 | Rajab 30, 1447 | Fajr 05:45 | DXB 
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MI Emirates seal Qualifer 1 spot after 8-wicket win against Dubai Capitals
The winner of Sunday’s final league-stage clash between the Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will meet the Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator on January 1
MI Emirates secured their spot in the top two with a dominant eight-wicket victory over the Dubai Capitals at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday (December 27). Leading the charge, Kieron Pollard’s unbeaten 44, featuring five towering sixes, ensured MI Emirates will face the Desert Vipers in Qualifier 1 on December 30.
Meanwhile, the winner of Sunday’s final league-stage clash between the Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will meet the Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator on January 1.
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MI Emirates’ spinners continued their impressive form, with Allah Ghazanfar taking three wickets for 28 runs and Shakib Al Hasan delivering a clever spell of 1/11 in four overs to restrict the Dubai Capitals to 122/8. Skipper Kieron Pollard then led the chase with an unbeaten 44 off 31 balls, including one four and five sixes, guiding MI Emirates to their fifth consecutive win of the season.
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The chase got off to a flying start as openers Muhammad Waseem (27 off 19) and Andre Fletcher (21 off 30) put together a brisk 33-run partnership inside the first three overs. The duo remained unbeaten through the powerplay, taking MI Emirates to a commanding 45/0 after six overs and setting the tone for the remainder of the innings.
The breakthrough came in the seventh over when Haider Ali trapped Waseem LBW, ending a 47-run opening partnership. Fletcher continued to keep the scoreboard ticking alongside Tom Banton (28 off 20) but was run out in the 10th over. Despite the setbacks, MI Emirates reached the halfway stage well placed at 59/2.
From there, the chase remained firmly under control. Skipper Kieron Pollard steadied the innings alongside Banton during the middle overs before turning the tide decisively in the 14th over. Pollard smashed Waqar Salamkheil for 30 runs, including three consecutive sixes, reducing the target to just 10 runs from the final five overs. MI Emirates sealed the victory in style, finishing the chase with an unbeaten 67-run partnership off 43 balls between Pollard and Banton.
Earlier, after opting to field, MI Emirates applied early pressure on the Dubai Capitals. Shakib Al Hasan struck in the fourth over to dismiss Shayan Jahangir (17 off 18), and Allah Ghazanfar followed up in the sixth, removing Sediqullah Atal (7 off 9), leaving the Capitals at 35/2 and firmly on the back foot.
The situation deteriorated further when Leus de Plooy (3 off 5) was run-out and Dan Mousley scalped Rovman Powell (8 off 4) in the eighth over. Arab Gul also tightened the screws when he pinged number-three batter Jordan Cox on the pads, leaving the Capitals reeling at 53/5 in ten overs.
James Neesham (21 off 14) briefly lifted the tempo with three boundaries but was halted by Ghazanfar, who snapped up Neesham with a sharp return catch, followed by David Willey (2 off 2) in the same over.
Coming together at 83/7, Mohammad Nabi and Scott Currie (15 off 18) resuscitated the innings with a much-needed stand of 28 runs in just as many balls before Fazalhaq Farooqi scalped the latter in the penultimate over.
Nabi remained unbeaten, but UAE’s Zahoor Khan gave away just five runs in the 20th over to close out a strong performance by the MI Emirates.
"I bowled with the same confidence and stayed true to my plans. As a finger spinner, executing variations isn’t easy, but the work I put in behind the scenes really pays off. On the caught-and-bowled dismissal, I knew there was a chance I could be hit for six, but I backed my best delivery, stayed committed, and it created the opportunity," said Allah Ghazanfar, who was named Player of the match.
Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals skipper Mohammad Nabi said, “We didn’t put enough runs on the board on this surface, and credit to the MI Emirates — they bowled very well. As a bowling unit, we gave it our best, but Pollard took the game away from us. The conditions in Dubai suit us, and hopefully we can bounce back with a strong performance in the next match.”
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