Gulbadin Naib took 3 wickets which turned the match on the head .In the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025 opener, defending champions MI Emirates lost to Dubai Capitals by just one run in a last-ball thriller.
In the series-opener between Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates in Dubai on Saturday (Jan 11), two Afghanistan players – seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib, made headlines for their star outings, with the seasoned all-rounder Gulbadin Naib prevailing in the end, as Capitals beat Emirates by just one run. Dubai Capitals rode on stellar spells from Gulbadin Naib and Olly Stone to clinch a one-run victory against MI Emirates in the first match of the International League T20 season three.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi’s record-breaking five-wicket haul and captain Nicholas Pooran’s half-century went in vain as Allah Ghazanfar played four dot balls in the penultimate over bowled by Olly Stone. In the last over, Kieron Pollard needed to score 13 runs but Farhan Khan managed to help his team win by the barest of margins.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report: Dew might well be a factor, especially with the later start. The temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius. 79m straight boundary and the square boundaries are 70m each. The ball might dart around when the ball is new and as the innings progresses, it will get easier for batting, reckon Ian Smith and Rohan Gavaskar.
Toss : MI Emirates skipper Nicholas Pooran won the toss and chose to bowl with possibility of dew coming in the later half of the day. Dubai Capitals skipper Sikandar Raza who also wanted to bowl first batting first is happy of either ways as this is the 1st Match in Dubai.
Fazal Haq Farooqi’s 5 for 16 the star in 1st innings as Dubai Capitals was restricted to 133 for 8 in 20 overs
Asked to bat first after losing the toss, Capitals played out the first over without scoring before the left-arm seamer Farooqi made early inroads with his first wicket of the day in Shai Hope, caught on nine. West Indian Alzarri Joseph removed Adam Rossington next before Scotland’s Brandon McMullen put the Capitals back on track with a quick fifty.
Earlier, Nicholas Pooran won the toss and opted to bowl first. Dubai Capitals openers struggled to score in powerplay overs. Farooqi in the fourth over dismissed Shai Hope who scored nine runs from 17 balls. Brandon McMullen hit the first six of the innings. After powerplay overs, Dubai Capitals were 30/1. Alzarri Joseph was introduced into the attack and knocked over Adam Rossington who scored nine runs from 16 balls. At the halfway stage, Capitals were 54/2.

Put in to bat first, the Dubai Capitals had a slow start, managing only 30 runs in the powerplay and losing Shai Hope to Fazalhaq Farooqi in the process. Adam Rossington was also castled by Alzarri Joseph as both openers only managed nine runs each.Scottish batter Brandon McMullen set about a repair job, notching a crucial half-century in just 33 balls. McMullen’s knock of 58 runs off 42 balls comprised four fours and three sixes, before he became Fazalhaq Farooqi’s second wicket of the night in the 17th over.
Capitan Sikandar Raza could not make an impact and departed for a run-a-ball 10. In the 14th over, McMullen reached his fifty from 33 balls. Rovman Powell looked to attack in the slog overs. In the penultimate over, Farooqi struck thrice to dismiss Powell, Dasun Shanaka and Stone. He finished with five wickets for 16 runs, best bowling figures in ILT20 history. The previous record belonged to Gulf Giants’ David Wiese who claimed five wickets for 20 runs in 2023 edition. Capitals managed to post 133/8, thanks to McMullen’s 42-ball 58.

Meanwhile, Capitals’ skipper Sikandar Raza was dismissed by Zahoor Khan in the 11th over after scoring 10 runs off 10 deliveries. Rovman Powell hit the ground running, quickly making his way to 25 runs off 20 balls, including two towering sixes. Powell’s promising innings was derailed by a toe-crushing yorker from Fazalhaq Farooqi in the 19th over.
That same over saw Fazalhaq Farooqi complete his five-wicket haul, dismissing Dasun Shanaka, who struck a quick-fire 13 runs, followed by Olly Stone for a golden duck. The Capitals only managed four runs in the final over to finish the innings at 133/8 in 20 overs.
At a time when the Capitals looked like going big on the scoreboard, Farooqi returned to break their back. He picked four out of the six wickets that fell, including removing all international stars cheaply. He began by outfoxing McMullen with a slower one before removing Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka and English seamer Olly Stone. His maiden tournament’s five-for restricted Capitals to 133 for eight inside 20 overs.
Skipper Nicholas Pooran’s 40 ball 61 in vain as Gulbadin Naib’s 3-fer and Olly Stone ‘s last over heroics granted Dubai Capitals a 1 run win
MI Emirates got off to the worst possible start, losing four wickets inside the Powerplay. A 79-run stand for the fifth wicket between the Caribbean pair of Nicholas Pooran and Akeal Hossein saved Emirates’ sinking ship to an extent. While bowling all-rounder Hossein hit two sixes for his 30-run stay at the crease, Pooran entertained the crowd with a blistering 61 off 40 balls, including four sixes and three fours.
In the run chase, MI lost Muhammad Waseem got a two-ball duck to Stone. In his second over, Stone dismissed Andre Fletcher for a nine-ball duck. Farhan was introduced into the attack and he got rid of Tom Banton. Obed McCoy struck with new ball too and dismissed Kusal Perera. Pooran arrived at the crease and hit Farhan for a six and a four. Emirates were 34/4 after powerplay overs. Akeal Hossein faced too many dot balls. At the halfway stage, MI were 54/4.
MI Emirates’ innings suffered an early setback as Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher were both dismissed by Olly Stone for ducks in the powerplay. MI Emirates’ woes worsened as they lost Tom Banton for just seven runs to Farhan Khan, while Kusal Perera fell after scoring only 12 runs off the bowling of Obed McCoy, leaving MI Emirates reeling at 23/4 in 4.3 overs.

Coming in at number five, skipper Nicholas Pooran dispatched Farhan Khan over square leg for a maximum, followed by a boundary with a lofted off-drive to make his intentions clear. MI Emirates finished their powerplay at 33/4.
Akeal Hossein joined Pooran, and the pair built a vital partnership of 79 runs off 64 balls. At the 10-over mark, MI Emirates needed 80 runs from 60 deliveries. Signaling a change of momentum in the 11th over, Pooran heaved Sikandar Raza for a six over mid-wicket. Akeal Hossein also took down Raza for a six down the ground to complete the most lucrative over of the innings until then, with 14 runs.
In the 11th over, Pooran and Hossein hit Raza for a six each. The partnership was broken in the 16th over by Gulbadin Naib. Hossein departed after scoring 30 runs from 31 balls. In the next over, Pooran reached his fifty with a maximum. Gulbadin Naib struck twice in the 18th over. Pooran scored 61 runs from 40 balls featuring three fours and four sixes.
With the game looking like slipping away from the Capitals, the experienced Gulbadin Naib took the onus on him and turned the tables around. Gulbadin Naib first removed Hossein before picking the dangerous-looking Pooran and his national teammate Joseph inside the same over (18th). That spell broke Emirates’ back, as they never recovered, losing the season’s first match by just one run.

The partnership was finally broken when Akeal Hossein was dismissed by Gulbadin Naib with the scoreline at 103/2 in 15.2 overs. Hossein finished his innings with 30 runs off 31 balls. Soon after, Pooran brought up his half-century with a six, reaching the milestone in just 36 balls.
With MI Emirates needing 16 runs from 15 balls, Gulbadin Naib struck twice in three balls. Gulbadin Naib flummoxed Nicholas Pooran with a slower ball and followed it up with the wicket of Alzarri Joseph. Olly Stone delivered a shrewd 19th over, conceding only one run. The onus was on the experienced Kieron Pollard to finish the job in the final over bowled by Farhan Khan. However, the veteran could only manage 11 runs of the 13 needed, handing the Capitals a thrilling last-ball victory.
Gulbadin Naib got rid of Joseph as well. Stone bowled a fantastic penultimate over conceding just one run. Despite Pollard at the crease, Farhan managed to defend 13 runs in the last over as Dubai Capitals won by just one run. MI Emirates were coasting to victory, needing 16 runs from 15 balls, but a disciplined performance from the Capitals’ bowling unit swung the pendulum in their favor. Gulbadin Naib finished with figures of 3 for 13, while Olly Stone returned with 2 for 14.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Sikandar Raza the winning Dubai Capitals skipper said : I was trying to stay calm and do the right things and back my team mates. Every bowler that came onto bowl did a fantastic job. At the halfway stage I felt 150 was a good score, but told my boys that if we stick to our plans we could get them all-out for 110 also.
Olly gave us those wickets and everyone who bowled outside the powerplay was great. I knew that all we needed was a couple of dot balls in the final over and I was amazed with how he bowled and I can’t be more prouder of him (Farhan Khan).
Nicholas Pooran the losing MI Emirates skipper said : Brilliant game. Our bowlers did a good job, Farooqi was brilliant tonight. It was our first game and the wicket was a bit challenging. Akeal played a good role for us, we didn’t get the job done unfortunately.
Gulbadin Naib Player of the Match for his 3 wickets for 13 runs said : It is a big platform and I am always ready and enjoy the moment. The total was not that great, we knew we were short and we also knew that it is not an easy wicket to bat on. We just waited for them to make a mistake and happy that our guys are able to put their 100 percent.
MI Emirates were coasting to victory, needing 16 runs from 15 balls, but a disciplined performance from the Capitals’ bowling unit swung the pendulum in their favor. Gulbadin Naib finished with figures of 3 for 13, while Olly Stone returned with 2 for 14.
Earlier in the evening, Fazalhaq Farooqi’s five-wicket haul of 5 for 15 restricted the Dubai Capitals to 133/8. Brandon McMullen’s half-century of 58 runs off 42 balls helped the Capitals recover from a poor start, while Rovman Powell also contributed 25 runs to give their bowlers something to defend.
Pollard looks a bit dazed. Pooran looks gutted. In fairness, they have every reason to be so. It was their game to lose when they needed 19 from 18 with 5 wickets in hand. The loss will hurt them badly because there was a 79-run game-changing partnership between Pooran and Akeal Hossein after losing their first four wickets for 23.
Despite all the rebuilding, Pollard failed to find his timing, coupled with a lack of clarity in approach towards the end has cost them dearly. Olly Stone deserves a major chunk of credit for the Capitals though, for his excellent new ball spell and for conceding just one run off the penultimate over. The youngster Farhan Khan did well to hold his nerve against one of the most feared slog-over basher in this format. It just wasn’t to be for Pollard today.
Fans were treated to a last-ball thriller at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, as Nicholas Pooran’s exquisite half-century of 61 runs off 40 balls for MI Emirates went in vain. The win marked the narrowest margin in ILT20 history.