MI Emirates eliminate Dubai Capitals to keep dreams of ILT20 glory alive

The third and fourth-placed teams after the round-robin stage of the DP World ILT20 League faced each other in Sharjah on Thursday, with the MI Emirates ultimately keeping dreams of glory alive.

This was an eliminating match for the right to play in the second qualifying match of the playoffs. In the previous match between the two sides, five days earlier, the Dubai Capitals beat the MI Emirates by seven wickets, due in large part due to a partnership of 122 between the Sri Lankan Dasun Shanakar and Sikanda Raza, a Pakistan-born Zimbabwean.

MI Emirates won the toss and asked the Dubai Capitals to bat. Before the match, there had been a discussion about how the pitch would perform. From a distance, it had a shiny, mirror-like appearance, as if covered in plastic. Whatever its properties, 11 runs were scored off the first over, bowled by Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi. In the fourth over, Trent Boult’s second, Robin Uthappa was caught at slip.

Raza joined Scotsman George Munsey. Neither showed much attacking intent, seemingly content to pace the innings. A score of 65 for the loss of one wicket after 11 overs was below par. Munsey set about improving this, taking on Farooqi for 21 runs in the next over but was out in the 12th over at 93 for two.

Rovman Powell tried to accelerate the scoring, but it was a mystery why, when Raza was out with the total at 120 in the 17th over, Shanakar did not join Powell. When he did, with only two overs remaining, he witnessed the curious dismissal of Powell. Dwyane Bravo delivered a slow, looping full toss, which Powell somehow missed. In his frustration and chagrin, he left for the pavilion with bat thrust behind his head and back.

The innings closed on 151 for the loss of five