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Dubai Capitals, riding on belligerent half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Jake Fraser-McGurk, recorded an emphatic seven-wicket win over MI Emirates in the second match of the International League T20 (ILT20) season two at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.
This contest, played in the presence of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and a large crowd, saw Afghanistan's Gurbaz crack an aggressive 81 runs off 39 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes and Australia's 21-year-old rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk hitting a breezy 54 off 25 balls with four boundaries and four sixes. The pair put on a 114-run partnership for the second wicket in 51 balls to chase down MI Emirates' total of 159 for 9 in 20 overs and won the match with 24 balls to spare. Dubai Capitals' skipper Warner won the toss and elected to bowl stating that the wicket looked good and his team would chase the runs down. Emirates skipper Pooran too remarked that his team would have loved to bowl first, but they need to adapt to conditions and be competitive. Emirates after getting off to a good start, slipped from a strong 79 for 1 in seven overs to 140 for 8 by the 19th over. Big hits from Tim David (27 in 22 balls, with two sixes) took the score past the 150-run mark, but the architect of their fine start was UAE's Muhammad Waseem who cracked 51 runs off 26 balls with four sixes and two boundaries. He was backed by Andre Fletcher (30 in 18 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Nicholas Pooran (21 in 23 balls, with a four and six). Sikandar Raza was responsible for putting the brakes on Emirates taking three wickets for 21 backed by Jason Holder (3 for 34). Capitals began their chase through David Warner, who was cheered all the way to the crease by the crowd, along with Gurbaz. Boult would have got Gurbaz out for a duck to the third ball had he not dropped the return catch. Fazalhaq Farooqi, who was brought in as a super-sub in place of Rayudu, bowled the second over and Gurbaz celebrated his luck hitting him for a six over long-on. The first to go was Warner to a fine delivery from Boult that took the outside edge and flew into the hands of Zahoor Khan for 1. Fraser, who came in as a super-sub for Paul Meekran, went for his shots and hit Akeal Hosein for a six and two boundaries. He also smashed Farooqi for a well-timed boundary and another six over long. Delhi Capitals' 50 runs came in five overs. Gurbaz was severe on Zahoor Khan hitting him for three consecutive boundaries in the sixth over while Fraser hit Hosein for two successive sixes in the seventh. Fraser reached his half-century in 21 balls and Capitals went past the 100-run mark in 8.5 overs. Gurbaz too reached his half-century in 26 balls. So severe was the onslaught of this pair that their 100-run partnership came in 44 balls. By the halfway mark, the Capitals needed only 38 runs. Fraser got out to Boult in the 11th over, caught at long-off by Anderson for 54. Gurbaz too got out but after hitting 81 runs, brilliantly caught by Waseem at deep mid-wicket off Farooqi. Sam Billings (13*) and Rovman Powell (7*) then steered their team to the target in 16 overs. Brief scores: Dubai Capitals beat MI Emirates by 7 wickets. MI Emirates 159 for 9 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 51, Andre Fletcher 30, Nicholas Pooran 21, Tim David 27, Sikandar Raza 3 for 21) Dubai Capitals 160 for 3 in 16 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 81, Jakes Fraser-McGurk 54, Trent Boult 2 for 23) Player of the Match: Sikandar Raza of Dubai Capitals. (ANI)
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