In Qualifier 2 of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the Dubai Capitals outperformed the defending champions, the Gulf Giants, with an impressive nine-wicket victory. The Dubai Capitals performed admirably in all aspects of the game, displaying no indications of weakness despite losing to the Giants twice during the league stage and making it to the final of the tournament.
Pitch report and toss update
The qualifier 2 match’s wicket was a typical Sharjah pitch. A little bit of shine was present. The grass was rolled neatly. It was anticipated that the ball would come on the bat.
With the track’s favorable conditions, spinners at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium have benefited greatly from considerable support throughout the season. With a tinge of grass, the surface offers batters a varying bounce. As it’s a knockout match, Gulf Giants chose to bat first after winning the toss.
Gulf Giants started sluggish Dubai Capitals’ bowlers kept taking wickets
Along with his captain Vince, Usman Khan opened the innings with a boundary off Scott Kuggeleijn that went past cover-point and a six over long-off that went into the press box. They put on 25 runs in three overs until Khan, on 21, tried a leg-side stroke and hit Jason Holder with a top-edge, which gave wicketkeeper Sam Billings an easy catch.
Chris Lynn then followed with a duck, clean bowled by Haider Ali with a delivery that kept low. Jordan Cox then left immediately, running out for two, and Jamie Smith was caught for a duck by Olly Stone at mid-off off Sikandar Raza.
With the Giants struggling at 40 for 4 in 7.4 overs, it was now up to Vince and Shimron Hetmyer to get the team out of danger. But before Hetmyer could turn Kuggeleijn to the leg side, he got a top edge and was caught by Raza at cover for eight. They had only added 22 runs together.
James Vince and Chris Jordan’s partnership propels the Giants to a competitive score
Half of the Giants’ team back in the dugout after 62 in 10.4 overs. Chris Jordan joined Vince, who hit his half-century in 47 balls. Before Vince’s 58-run innings ended when he hoisted Stone’s delivery into Rovman Powell’s hands at long-on, the two put up 55 runs together.
The Giants’ aspirations of scoring more than 150 runs were also dashed by this. Jordan finished unbeaten with a run-a-ball 30. Vince and Jordan’s partnership helped the Giants put a fighting total of 138 runs on the board.
The bowlers for the Dubai Capitals, led by Haider Ali, bowled well overall, with most of them taking a wicket apiece. Sikandar Raza and Olly Stone, however, were a little too expensive for their standards. Considering the conditions and the pitch’s behavior, the total that the Gulf Giants set was thought to be reasonable.
Dubai Capitals got a stupendous start with Leus du Plooy and Tom Banton’s partnership
Leus Du Plooy and Tom Banton ran havoc over the bowlers. Leus du Plooy and Tom Banton, the Dubai Capitals’ opening pair, had an incredible start as they chased the moderate target, putting on a 98-run partnership. Jordan was a strike bowler, and Du Plooy took full advantage of him, hitting him for two boundaries and a six, taking 16 runs off his opening over.
After Banton was caught by Overton at long-on off Liam Dawson for a run-a-ball of 38 runs, the first partnership in 11.1 overs came to an end. Along with Tom Abell (20*), who also hit his half century in 35 balls, Du Plooy led Dubai Capitals into the final. He finished undefeated at 63 off 40 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.
Gulf Giants bowlers were not able to restrict the storm from the Dubai Capitals’ openers
The bowlers for the Gulf Giants were under pressure from the start. They were unable to pick wickets or bowl in tight lines. In the beginning, they provided much too many extras. There was only one bowler who picked up a wicket, Liam Dawson. Their remaining bowlers gave runs away.
A one-sided match as the Dubai Capitals advance to the final game. They will now play on Saturday, February 17, against the MI Emirates.
Also Read: MIE vs GG: MI Emirates Defeat The Gulf Giants Convincingly To Advance To The Final Of ILT20 League