DP World ILT20: MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals to get another shot at final

The first hurdle negotiated, there’s one more hurdle left to cross. MI Emirates came up with a clinical show with both bat and ball to defeat Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator in Sharjah on Thursday, to earn another shot at the DP World ILT20 final.

After Kiwi left-arm quick Trent Boult and Rashid Khan, who jetted in after captaining MI Cape Town in the SA20, picked up two wickets apiece to restrict the Capitals to 151, the MI Emirates batters got the job done on a tricky surface at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Opener Andre Fletcher and southpaw Nicholas Pooran came up with unbeaten half-centuries as MI Emirates won by eight wickets with 20 deliveries to spare.

Fletcher remained not out on 68 from 45 deliveries with four fours and four sixes, while Pooran made 66 from just 36 deliveries that was embellished with five sixes and three boundaries. Their unbroken stand for the third wicket was worth 102 runs that came from just 58 deliveries.

MI Emirates will have little time to recuperate as they go up against the Gulf Giants in Qualifier 2 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday, with the winner squaring off against the Desert Vipers in Sunday’s final in Dubai.

The defeat signaled the end of the campaign for the Dubai Capitals, who had sneaked into the playoffs after the last league play.

Earlier, after an opening over where 11 runs came off it, the Capitals were throttled by the MI Emirates bowlers following the loss of opener Robin Uthappa.

The Capitals reached 28-1, their lowest powerplay score of the season, before a 12-run eighth over and 21 runs off the 12th over put them back on track. Southpaw George Munsey laid into Fazalhaq Farooqi, smoking the Afghan left-arm pacer for 4,6,4 off successive deliveries before clubbing another six.

Munsey, who had earned a reprieve when on 22 after Rashid Khan fluffed one at deep-backward square off Dwayne Bravo, brought up his half-century by sweeping Rashid Khan for a boundary.

But the bowler got his revenge after the Scot tried to sweep again but was adjudged leg before. That brought an end to the 78-run partnership from 64 deliveries between Munsey and Sikander Raza.

Still, the Capitals had to dig deep as the runs were hard to come by on a pitch where the ball kept low as well as a disciplined MI Emirates bowling attack.

Raza was patient before targeting UAE pacer Zahoor Khan in the 16th over, where 18 runs came off it, courtesy of a six and two boundaries. But Raza fell while trying to accelerate at the back end, holing out to Bravo at deep-backward square.

Rovman Powell came up with some lusty hits, his third six off Bravo in the 19th over pushing him clear of MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard to 26 sixes, the most sixes in the tournament. But he was unable to dispatch a juicy full toss from Bravo and it crashed into stumps as the latter wheeled away in celebration.

The Capitals still managed to put together 92 in the last 10 overs to have a decent target to defend but they would have preferred much more against a strong MI Emirates batting line-up.

BRIEF SCORES

MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals by eight wickets

Dubai Capitals: 151-5 (George Munsey 51, Sikandar Raza 38, Rovman Powell 30; Trent Boult 2-19, Rashid Khan 2-20

MI Emirates: 152-2 in 16.4 overs (Andre Fletcher 68 not out, Nicholas Pooran 66 not out)

FRIDAY’S MATCH

Qualifier 2: Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 6 pm

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