Afghanistan leg-spinner Qais Ahmad wreaked havoc in the middle overs with a four-wicket havoc and helped Capitals bowl out Vipers for 137. Then Shai Hope and Gulbadin Naib scored fifties to chase down the target with 17 balls to spare. In a low-scoring encounter at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Qais Ahmad’s 4-fer with the ball helped Dubai Capitals beat table-toppers Desert Vipers by nine wickets to book their spot in Qualifier 1.
The Dubai Capitals capped off their DP World ILT20 Season 3 group-stage campaign in style with a resounding nine-wicket victory over Desert Vipers at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Led by Qais Ahmad’s sensational 4 for 25 and Gulbadin Naib’s match-winning unbeaten 55, the Capitals cruised to a comfortable win, finishing second on the points table. With this win, the Dubai Capitals set up an exciting rematch against the Desert Vipers in Qualifier 1 on February 5, while MI Emirates will take on Sharjah Warriorz in the Eliminator on February 6.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : Dimensions – 63m and 64m square boundaries. It’s a different pitch. Nice rolling of the grass, haven’t seen so much grass here. The ball will come onto the bat nicely. Hardly any help for the bowlers. There could be some movement off the deck from a back of a lengths reckons Reema Malhotra and Wasim Akram.
Toss : Dubai Capitals skipper Sam Billings won the toss and opted to field with David Warner opting out due to the bad back. Desert Vipers skipper Lockie Ferguson batting first also wanted to bowl first aims to have a good game with the opposition with few changes in the playing XI.
Qais Ahmad’s 4-fer Spins a Web as Vipers Crumble to 137 all out
Batting first, the Desert Vipers struggled against the Capitals’ clinical bowling attack. The innings got off to a shaky start when Obed McCoy struck with his very first ball, dismissing Azam Khan for a duck. The dangerous Alex Hales showed promise but fell victim to McCoy’s slower delivery after a quick 18, leaving the Vipers at 39/2 in five overs.
Capitals skipper Sam Billings won the toss and opted to bowl first. Azam Khan could not justify the promotion and was caught at first slip by Naib off Obed McCoy’s bowling. McCoy in his second over dismissed Alex Hales with a slower one. Sam Curran tried to infuse some life into the game alongside Dan Lawrence. Then Qais Ahmad was introduced into the attack and he got rid of Curran with a googly. Curran scored 28 runs from 20 balls. Lawrence hit a couple of more sixes before falling to Qais Ahmad . He scored 44 runs from 31 deliveries.

Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence then took charge, adding 45 runs to bring stability to the innings. Curran’s aggressive stroke play was a highlight, including a huge six off Naib that soared into the Sharjah streets. However, Qais Ahmad turned the game around with his leg-spin mastery, deceiving Curran with a wrong’un to send him back for 28 off 20 balls.
At the halfway mark, the Vipers were in a decent position at 82/3, but Qais Ahmad was just getting started. The Afghan wrist-spinner then dismissed Lawrence for 44, sparking a catastrophic collapse. The Vipers lost their last seven wickets for just 36 runs, as Sherfane Rutherford, Adam Hose, and Michael Jones fell in quick succession.

Qais Ahmad completed his four-wicket haul with a beauty to trap Jones LBW, while McCoy wrapped things up with his third scalp, bowling out the Desert Vipers for a modest 137 in 19.4 overs.
Skipper Sikandar In the 14th over, Qais Ahmad struck twice to dismiss Adam Hose and Michael Jones. Ali Naseer could not do much damage and was dismissed for a single-digit score by Dushmantha Chameera. In the slog overs, just one six was hit. McCoy and Farhan Khan got one wicket each to bowl out Vipers for 137 with two balls left in the innings.
Shai Hope, Gulbadin Naib dominate the run chase as Dubai Capitals win by 9 wickets in David Warner’s absence book Qualifier 1 spot
Chasing 138, the Dubai Capitals’ top order was in no mood to take things slow. Adam Rossington gave the team a flying start, smashing 20 runs off 15 balls before falling to David Payne in the fourth over. Vipers’ run chase got off to an ideal start with Adam Rossington and Hope firing from both ends. David Payne got the breakthrough in the fifth over with Rossington’s wicket. He scored 27 runs from 18 balls. After powerplay overs, Capitals had 50 runs on the board.
With 50/1 in six overs, the Capitals had already set the foundation for an easy chase. Gulbadin Naib walked in at No.3 and made an instant impact, smashing a crisp four off Curran. Alongside Shai Hope, the duo took control of the game, ensuring no further hiccups in the run chase.

Despite Wanindu Hasaranga bowling two tight overs, the Capitals remained ahead of the required rate. The 11th over saw Naib ride his luck, as two mistimed shots still managed to reach the boundary ropes. The Vipers’ sloppy fielding continued to hurt them, with Hope getting a crucial reprieve after skying a catch that was dropped.
Naib did not take much time to accelerate as Hope looked to rotate strike. In the 12th over, Hope’s catch was dropped by Jones. Naib reached his fifty with a six from 29 balls. In the 17th over, Hope reached his fifty from 50 deliveries. The Caribbean batter scored the winning runs as Capitals finished league stage as second-placed team.

With just 26 runs required from the final six overs, Naib decided to step on the accelerator. He launched a big six over deep midwicket to bring up his half-century off just 29 balls, ensuring the Capitals stayed on track for victory. Soon after, Hope too reached his fifty, his fourth of the tournament, with a well-placed pull shot. The duo completed the chase in just 17.1 overs, guiding Dubai Capitals to a dominant nine-wicket win.
The Dubai Capitals’ win cements their second-place finish on the points table, meaning they will face Desert Vipers once again in Qualifier 1 on February 5. The winner will go straight into the final on February 7, while the loser will get another shot in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Lockie Ferguson the losing DV skipper said : These things happen. Still back the boys, we struggled to get partnerships and Qais bowled exceptionally. Have to go back to the drawing board and come back again. Build partnerships and allow Sherf to do what he does. Still back the boys 100%. [on Max Holden] He had a back twinge tonight, hopefully he should be fine in a couple of days’ time.
Sam Billings the winning DC skipper said : It is clinical. That’s what we asked for. Really pleased with that. Wrist spin is a bit of a cheat code, it is very important. Here in Sharjah, it can be a graveyard for the spinners, kept encouraging him [Qais] to spin the ball, even if he goes for runs, tried to encourage him to take the aggressive option. We respect them, they dominated the group stages and finishing top.
Wednesday is a new day, knockout cricket and really looking forward to the challenge. [on him not batting so far this season] Perfect. That’s just a great sign of two really clinical performances. I felt I’m hitting the ball well, played well in Australia and Shai anchored the role beautifully and Gulbadin with the power. Really beautiful partnership batting together from them.
Qais Ahmad Player of the Match for his 4 wickets of 25 runs said : Thanks to my mom, dad, my big brother and my wife, my all family, they always supporting me, so thank you very much. When you play with legend cricketers like Sam Billings, they always supporting me, he kept saying: you are our main bowler and will take wickets. Wickets is very good for spin, I try to turn the ball. I’m happy for these four wickets. Of course I enjoyed that wicket, Sam Curran is a big wicket.
In the last group match of the ILT20 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday, the Dubai Capitals delivered a dominant performance to defeat the Desert Vipers by nine wickets. The Capitals showed their strength with both the ball and the bat, securing a crucial win that took them into the next stage of the tournament.
Gulbadin Naib was the star for the Capitals, playing an outstanding knock of 55 not out, helping his team chase down the target with ease. His performance showed why he is considered one of the best all-rounders in the game. On the bowling front, Qais Ahmad was brilliant, picking up 4 wickets for just 25 runs. His excellent spell made it difficult for the Desert Vipers to get any momentum, sealing the game for the Capitals.
The victory marked a remarkable comeback for the Dubai Capitals. After a slow start to the season with only one win from their first four matches, they bounced back strongly to win four out of their last five games. This impressive run helped them finish second in the standings and secure a spot in the upcoming playoffs.
Such an easy chase from the Capitals. Never did they look in trouble. Shai Hope and Gulbadin sealing the deal with fifties and remaining unbeaten. Rossington at the top set the pace and just the one wicket to show for the Vipers. The wicket definitely played better in the 2nd innings and there was not much for the bowlers. Gulbadin was dropped a couple of times but was always looking to score. Hope whose job is to anchor the innings did just that. In a must-win game to get the 2nd spot, Capitals have come up trumps.
On February 5, the Dubai Capitals will face the Desert Vipers again in Qualifier 1, a crucial match for both teams as they aim for a spot in the final. On February 6, MI Emirates will take on Sharjah Warriorz in the Eliminator, with the winner advancing to face the loser of Qualifier 1 for a chance to make it to the final on February 7.