Ben Dunk‘s resilient 59, Rovman Powell’s undefeated 40, and Jason Holder’s 23-run cameo helped the Dubai Capitals overcome the Desert Vipers in the 17th match of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Dubai International Stadium to clinch a sensational four-wicket victory off the final ball of play. Ben Dunk displayed his hitting prowess and was in a beast mode against Desert Vipers.
Pitch Report and Toss Update
The Dubai International Stadium offers bowlers and batters an equal competitive surface. Fast bowlers benefit first from the surface’s swing and bounce. But as the game went on, batters took charge. Pitch conditions are a major source of challenge for spinners. Particularly on this pitch, the chasing team is in the driver’s seat. So looking at the conditions, the Dubai Capitals chose to bowl after winning the toss.
Both openers got the Desert Vipers off to a terrific start
The Vipers got off to a perfect start as their openers put on an opening partnership of 81 in just 8.2 overs. In the third over, Rohan Mustafa, the opener for the Vipers, struck Scotland’s medium pacer Scott Kuggeleijn for two straight sixes; the first ball cleared the long-on, and the second was dragged over square leg.
To add 19 runs off the over, opener Alex Hales also struck Kuggeleijn’s final delivery for a six over long-off. In the fourth over, the two did not spare Jason Holder either, hitting him for 17 runs. In 4.3 overs, the pair scored 50 runs.
With four boundaries and three sixes in 32 balls, Mustafa scored his half-century. However, Rahul Chopra caught the next ball off Akif Raja at deep square leg to end the great innings by Rohan. In the 12th over, Hales and Colin Munro helped the score surpass 100 runs, and Hales smashed Sikandar Raza for two consecutive straight sixes.
The Capitals made a great comeback in the middle overs by taking quick wickets
Hales hit Holder to Roelof Van der Merwe at cover to a slower delivery, however, falling one run short of his fifty. This brought in the belligerent Azam Khan, but Warner caught him mid-off for a duck thanks to Dushmantha Chameera.
When Munro, too, pulled Raza to Kuggeleijn at deep midwicket for 16, the prospect of a huge score faded. Subsequently, Chopra caught the assertive Sherfane Rutherford at deep square leg off Kuggeleijn for a duck. Wanindu Hasaranga (12) and Adam Hose increased the score to 20 runs to cross the 150 run mark.
Following the Vipers opener’s flawless hitting in the initial overs, the Capitals dominated with the ball in the middle overs. With the exception of Adam Hose, who carried the Desert Vipers’ innings to a competitive total, the middle order was unable to score significant runs. All of the Capitals’ bowlers Apart from Roelof finished with one wicket each.
Ben Dunk held the innings of the Capitals after the sluggish start from the openers
Chasing a target of 170 was an edge of the seat affair for the Capitals. Shaheen Afridi got the wicket of opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who fell for just four runs, to Maheesh Pathirana, who made an outstanding run-and-dive catch at mid-off.
David Warner, the captain and opener, failed once more when he was caught by Colin Munro at extra cover for four after getting out to Afridi. Prior to this match, the star batsman’s scores in this competition were 1, 20, 0, 21, and 16.
Sam Billings was caught and bowled for six runs by Wanindu Hasaranga, who came in to the attack for the seventh over. Ben Dunk held the one end of the inning and continued ticking the scoreboard. Ben Dunk brightened his team’s chances by reaching his half-century in 23 balls with six boundaries and two sixes.
Rovman Powell and Jason Holder helped the Capitals to cross the finishing line
With the Capitals on 80 at the halfway point, Rohan Mustafa went for the dangerous-looking Dunk, which was caught by Hasaranga at long-off for 59 off 30 balls, seven boundaries, and two sixes.
Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza refused to succumb to the strain, putting on a 41-run partnership in 27 balls for the fifth wicket when Raza top edged Amir to Pathirana for 22 with 49 runs needed. Vipers used to go for the kill, as Rahul Chopra was removed by Hasaranga for four runs.
Powell and Jason Holder got 15 off Afridi’s last over and made it 19 to win in the final 12 balls. With just four runs left to defend, Pathirana bowled a brilliant final over, but the Capitals triumphed on the final ball.
