The 24th match of the DP World ILT20 season 2 at the Dubai International Stadium saw the Gulf Giants battle tooth and nail to defend a low total of 126 for 9 in 20 overs and pull off a 19-run victory over the Dubai Capitals. Gulf Giants this by displaying exceptional teamwork and determination. In the tournament’s history, this was the lowest total defended.
Pitch Report and Toss Update
There is a balanced surface at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Despite having been known for being batting-friendly, it has helped spinners later in the game and fast bowlers early on. In the last 20 games played here, the first-inning scoring average has been 137 runs. Since the chasing side has won most games played on this field, the Dubai Capitals won the toss and elected to field first.
Dubai Capitals fast bowlers shattered the top order of the Gulf Giants
The Capitals’ bowlers proved the decision to bowl first right as they ran through the top order of the Gulf Giants in the powerplay. When Kuggeleijn’s third ball of the second over came up, opener Jamie Smith got out, giving Shanaka an easy catch at cover for nine. The third over saw a pair of strikes from Stone.
He first got rid of their reliable batsman, Chris Lynn, for one run, a fantastic catch made by Kuggeleijn, who dived and caught the ball while running in from deep square leg. He clean-bowled Jordan Cox with the next ball, a delivery that nipped back to hit the stumps. Kuggeleijn also claimed the wicket of Gerhard Erasmus for two when Richardson made a sliding diving catch at mid-wicket.
The Gulf Giants were left reeling after losing 17 for 4 in 3.4 overs. Hetmyer and Vince tried to steady the ship of the Gulf Giants after the early wickets, and they steered the score past the 50-run mark in nine overs, mainly through big hits from Hetmyer. The Gulf Giants’ score was 60/4 at the halfway mark.
Shimron Hetmyer and James Vince led the Gulf Giants to a fighting total
Hetmyer joined his captain and opener, Vince, coming in with unbeaten knocks of 40 and 53 from his previous two games. Sikandar Raza would have had Hetmyer out for 23 if the ball hadn’t popped out of his fingers on a return catch. Vince wasn’t as fortunate, though, as Haider Ali caught and bowled him for 32 after his slog sweep took the top edge. This put an end to their fighting partnership as well.
After joining Hetmyer, Aayan Khan scored 23 more runs before retiring the game after 10 runs. In the 16th over, Stone cleaned up the danger man, Hetmyer, who was caught by Kuggeleijn at long on for 34, his third wicket. Kuggeleijn also claimed his third wicket, having Chris Jordan caught at fine leg for seven by Akif Raja. Stone then clean-bowled Jamie Overton for one.
The Gulf Giants scored over 120 runs because of Dominic Drake’s unbeaten 24 runs in 12 balls, three sixes, and one boundary. The Gulf Giants were restricted to 126 for 9 in 20 overs by the Capitals’ Olly Stone (4/14) and Scott Kuggeleijn (3/29), who targeted the Giants’ batting order with a deadly mix of accurate pace and clever usage of slower deliveries.
The Dubai Capitals started sluggish as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals
The Capitals lost both of their openers for thirty runs, making the process to their target a complete disaster. Their captain and opener, David Warner, was first out, going for eleven when he was caught by Chris Jordan at mid-off by Jamie Overton.
Gurbaz, the opener, was next, going for fifteen when Jordan got him long on off Blessing Muzarabani. The target appeared unachievable when Gerhard Erasmus clean bowled Max Holden for 7 and Jordan bowled Sam Billings for 12. The Capitals were at 68/4 after the completion of the 10 overs.
Dasun Shanaka emerged as the lone fighter as he didn’t get support from the other end
All hope now lay on Ben Dunk and Sikandar Raza. But before Dunk was run out for 13 after a direct hit from Vince, they were only able to score 19 runs between them. To raise Giants chances of winning, Aayan Khan clean bowled Raza for ten runs. When Kuggeleijn ran for a single that wasn’t there, Vince also ran him out.
With his unbeaten 24 runs, Dasun Shanaka moved the Capitals closer to the goal, but Haider Ali was the final batter to fall for a run out. As a result, the Capitals fell for 107 in 18.3 overs. Aayan Afzal Khan, the 18-year-old left-arm spinner for the UAE, took two wickets during a pivotal moment in the game, while his captain James Vince produced two run outs to prevent the Capitals’ chase of the easy target.
