MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the DP World ILT20 season as they rode on half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran to clinch a 26-run win against the Dubai Capitals in the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday. With half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran, the MI Emirates clinched a 26-run win. Shai Hope was the star of the match with a magnificent 101 runs in 59 balls, but it was in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history.
Tom Banton hit 74 off 52 balls to help set up MI Emirates’ 26-run win over Dubai Capitals in the International League T20. Tom Banton led the way with 74 off 52 balls while captain Nicholas Pooran hit 59 off 29 deliveries as MI Emirates posted 187-7 from their 20 overs after Capitals captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bowl.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : “If there is any bit of tackiness then the Capitals would want to make use of it. There was an afternoon game yesterday and the pacers hit a good length spot for 68% in the powerplay which allowed the ball to swing. The main difference between yesterday and today’s surface – the grass; it is slightly more silker and looks much better,” says Urooj Mumtaz.
Toss : Dubai Capitals skipper Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to field with Dushmanta Chameera coming in the playing XI. Nicholas Pooran batting first bought in Romario Shepherd in the playing XI for Andre Fletcher.
Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran hit fifties as MI Emirates reaches 187 for 7 in 20 overs
MI Emirates stuttered early on as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusal Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game. Tom Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates some much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with MI Emirates putting up 50/2, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways. Tom Banton continued to thrive on one end, bringing up his half-century in style as he swept Zahir Khan for a huge six on the leg side to wrap up the 11th over.

Coming in at number four, Pooran joined the party as he clobbered two fours and six sixes in a 29-ball endeavour that yielded 59 runs. Pooran took down Olly Stone for three successive sixes in the 15th over. The skipper began his onslaught with a perfectly timed scoop, the next was a fortunate edge that sailed over the ropes and the third was a repeat of the first. In pursuit of a fourth consecutive maximum, he holed out to Dasun Shanaka at deep midwicket.

Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Tom Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls. Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187-7.
Tom Banton led the way with 74 off 52 balls while captain Nicholas Pooran hit 59 off 29 deliveries as MI Emirates posted 187-7 from their 20 overs after Capitals captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and chose to bowl. After losing openers Kusal Perera (5) and Muhammad Waseem (18), Pooran and Tom Banton added 109 for the third wicket to set up the competitive total.
Tom Banton’s knock, his first half century in ILT20, included nine fours and two sixes while Pooran hit two fours and six sixes on his way to his second fifty in as many games this season. Kieron Pollard also contributed a s 19-ball 22 for the Emirates against Gulbadin Naib’s 3-18 and Olly Stone’s 2-31.
Shai Hopes classy 101 in vain as MI Emirates won by 26 runs
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin as Akeal Hossein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over. Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but the chance went begging as Waqar Salamkheil dropped a sitter. Shai Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
Alzarri Joseph gave MI Emirates the breakthrough as he bowled Dunk in the sixth over, but Hope motored on at the other end and brought up his 50 in 32 deliveries. Hope and McMullen put up 61 for the second wicket before the latter was stumped by Pooran. It was a redemption tale for Salamkheil as he finally got his man.

Hope remained unscathed and hit AM Ghazanfar for a four and a six as he brought up his T20 career’s second century. This was the first century scored by a Dubai Capitals player and also the third 100 in the history of the DP World ILT20. Hope could not go further as he fell the very next ball.
The momentum swiftly swung in the MI Emirates’ way thereafter as Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Sikandar Raza with a toe-crushing yorker. Farooqi made it two in two as he crafted yet another brilliant yorker to get rid of Dasun Shanaka’s off stump. The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb as the MI Emirates sealed an emphatic victory.

The Capitals chase was then a one-man show as Shai Hope was the only batsman to get past 20 against some excellent MI bowling. Hope made a very well-compiled 101 off just 59 balls, his second T20 hundred, including 11 fours and three sixes but it couldn’t prevent the Capitals from being restricted to 161-6 in their 20 overs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took a five-wicket haul in the first meeting between these two sides on Saturday, was once again excellent conceding just 22 runs in his four overs while claiming two wickets. Alzarri Joseph also picked up two wickets but was on the expensive side, conceding 43 runs in his four overs.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Sikandar Raza the losing Dubai Capitals skipper said : We pulled things back nicely in the end with the ball. That was fantastic. Momentum was with us and we had a good powerplay as well. After the powerplay, the next four overs, we allowed the rate to get too far ahead. (On Naib) He has raised his hand every time I’ve asked him to bowl. When the opportunity comes, he’s always there there to raise his hand up.
Bowling the last over and bowling that well, even the over before that, he bowled really well. He’s bowled 8 overs in 2 matches and not many has been scored off him, that’s a positive for us. Losing hurts all the time. Sometimes you have to raise your hand and say the opposition came up trumps.
It still hurts me that Shai got a hundred and we couldn’t come across the line. He should have got the Man of the Match, it was a beautiful hundred to watch. Life balances itself out. Had MI won the other day, Farooqi would have been the Man of the Match. It balances out.
Nicholas Pooran the winning Mumbai Emirates skipper said : It feels good. Last game we should have got over the line. Nothing comes easy. New conditions, everyone needs to get accustomed to the conditions. (Turning point in this match) The over Farooqi bowled, he picked two wickets, those were crucial blows. (On Banton) Over the last couple of months, he’s been batting fantastically. He’s maturing and growing. We know his talent.
Tom Banton Player of the Match for his 74 runs said : It was tricky to begin, Olly Stone was bowling really well, a good friend of mine and I didn’t want to get out as well. We spoke about someone having to bat through the innings as we’ve got a lot of power all the way down.
Today it paid off for me. Batting with Nicky, it was the first time and I was in awe a little bit. I took my time and then ball was in my area, I looked to put the pressure back on the bowlers. Nicky kept telling me to take it deep. I have played a lot of cricket here, the wickets are always good. First year here, I was with MI Cape Town last year. Every game, someone has to put his hand up and today it was me.
Shai Hope = 101 off 59 deliveries | Other Dubai batters + extras = 60 runs off 61 deliveries! Hope was involved in back-to-back fifty partnerships with him doing the bulk of the scoring. There were some freebies on offer in the powerplay and Hope was batting sumptuously. Unfortunately, he found little support. As long as he was out there in the middle, the Capitals were in the hunt. 53 runs were needed off 27 deliveries with eight wickets in hand.
That’s when Ghazanfar provided the important breakthrough as he had the centurion caught at long-on. In the very next over, Fazalhaq Farooqi nailed two yorkers to dismiss Raza and Shanaka off successive deliveries.
There was no chance of a comeback from there for Dubai. Earlier, Pooran and Tom Banton forged a century stand which powered MI Emirates to 187, although they managed to score just 24 off the last 4 overs. The bowlers, after being all over the place in the powerplay, pulled things back nicely as they ended up defending the total quite comfortably. MI Emirates get their revenge against Dubai Capitals after an agonizing 1-run defeat against them in the opening game of this season.