In a low-scoring thriller in Dubai, MI Emirates defeated Dubai Capitals by seven runs, intensifying the competition for ILT20 playoff positions. Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd took two wickets each to keep the Capitals to 130, while Jonny Bairstow struck 67 to put MIE at 137.
In the second over of his innings, Bairstow hit two boundaries off Mustafizur Rahman. In the following over, Muhammad Waseem worked together to score two fours off David Willey before Mohammad Nabi gave the UAE captain a reprieve.
MI Emirates got off to a respectable start in the PowerPlay with the openers, reaching 40/0.
The second ball following the PowerPlay saw Waseem fall, but Bairstow appeared to be successful against the spinners. He reached his fifty after hitting Nabi for two sixes and a four in the eleventh over. In his next over, Bairstow fell, and Nicholas Pooran was dismissed for eight off Jawadullah. As MIE lost their way, Kieron Pollard also collapsed. The batting side’s situation worsened as Mustafizur struck three times in the eighteenth over, skilfully tricking his opponents with slower deliveries. MIE dropped to 137 for 8 after receiving a pair of lustful blows from Romario Shepherd.
Shayan Jahangir hit sixes for the Capitals during the PowerPlay. Leus de Plooy was eventually dismissed in the fourth over because to the lack of runs scored from the opposite end. At 51 for 1, Jordan Cox struck three fours to help the Capitals win the PowerPlay. The Capitals’ hitters were then choked by the Afghan spin tandem of Rashid and AM Ghazanfar. Jahangir was subsequently dismissed after being baffled by Rashid. With the game on the line, Cox broke the shackles with a crucial six.
After Rashid dismissed Rovman Powell in the thirteenth over, Kamindu Mendis removed Dasun Shanaka. To make things worse, the Capitals lost three wickets in a row after James Neesham was run out. Before Naveen took up both set hitters in the 19th over, Cox and Nabi revived the innings with a 23-run partnership. MIE almost made it home with seven runs remaining when Shepherd took up Haider Ali and David Willey with 16 needed off six, while Mustafizur was run out in between.
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