ILT20: UAE spin twins Aayan Khan and Zuhaib Zubair steal show for holders

With their DP World International League T20 title defence on the line on Wednesday night, there were any number of world stars the Gulf Giants captain, James Vince, could have thrown the ball to.

World Cup-winning England quick Chris Jordan had overs in the bank. Towering Zimbabwe seamer Blessing Muzarabani, too. Dominic Drakes, the up-and-coming Barbadian, was grazing in the outfield awaiting his chance.

Instead, with Dubai Capitals requiring 55 from 45 balls and the in-form Sikandar Raza on strike, Vince decided to go local.

He handed the ball to his 18-year-old left-armer from Sharjah, Aayan Khan. The youngster repaid his captain’s faith, getting the first ball he bowled through Sikandar for the wicket which spun the game in the holders’ favour.

Then Vince doubled down on the theory. Two spin-bowling whizkids from Sharjah are better than one, after all.

Zuhaib Zubair was brought on in concert with Aayan, and he, too, spun a web. The 20-year-old leg-spinner took one for 16 from his four overs, while his mate at the other end managed a miserly two for eight from his three.

“He is so good, he makes games like this easy when he takes two or three wickets early on,” Aayan said of Zubair. “It helps others and me as well.”

Vince’s decision was an informed one. Only a few nights earlier, the UAE spin duo had taken six for 38 in seven overs between them to set up a landslide win over Sharjah Warriors.

Defend the lowest total of #DPWorldILT20 ➡
Mission passed ✅
Respect ➕107 ⬆#DCvGG #GulfGiants #BringItOn #Adani pic.twitter.com/LW5HeYa4m7

When they subsequently managed five for 24 as a partnership to set up a 19-run win over the Capitals, it helped right a season that had been listing badly.

The Giants had been in danger of