Andre Fletcher’s half centuries, which produced the highest total this season MI Emirates’s skipper Nicholas Pooran and Ann. They blew away Dubai Capitals by 45 runs to emerge as the new champions of the ILT20 Season 2.
In front of a packed Dubai International Stadium, Pooran scored a breezy unbeaten captain’s knock of 57 runs off 27 balls, studded with six sixes and two boundaries. He was backed by Fletcher’s 53 off 37 balls, featuring four sixes and three boundaries.
Openers Muhammad Waseem and his partner Kusal Perera contributed aggressively. Waseem scored 43 off 24 balls, including three boundaries and three sixes, and Perera made 38 off 26 balls, with six boundaries. They added a 77-run opening partnership and helped MI Emirates set a record score of 208 for 3 in 20 overs.
In reply, Capitals could muster only 163 for 7 in 20 overs with Trent Boult and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth bagging two wickets each. MI Emirates received the winners’ prize of a whopping $700,000 (USD) while the runners-up received $300,000 (USD).
Chasing the mammoth total, Capitals had it tough from the start with Emirates’ Akeal Hosein, who has been regularly striking in the first over, trapping Leus du Plooy leg before for a duck.
Tom Abell, when on 7, was dropped by Dwayne Bravo at mid-off by Trent Boult, but was later caught by Pollard off Rohid Khan for 14. Banton and his skipper Sam Billings pushed the score to 63 when Banton got foxed by leg spinner Viyaskanth to be stumped by Pooran for 35.
Sikandar Raza, who has played many match-winning knocks for Capitals, scored just 10 runs before hitting Viyaskanth to Waseem at deep mid-wicket.
Capitals, faced with the challenge of scoring 100 runs in 41 balls, saw Waqar Salamkheil remove Billings – stumped by Pooran – for a fighting 40.
Boult then dismissed Rovman Powell, caught by Waseem at deep midwicket, and cleaned up Jason Holder for 24 to ensure his team’s victory.
Earlier, Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl. MI Emirates’ opener Waseem started with a six over long-on off Scott Kuggeleijn, while his partner Kusal Perera played some flowing drives.
The pair reached their half-century partnership in 3.3 overs, with Waseem hitting two boundaries and a six off Kuggeleijn in that over. By the end of the powerplay, MI Emirates had posted 72 runs.
Waseem fell to Zahir Khan when he was seven short of his half-century, lifting Zahir Khan to Rovman Powell at mid-off.
Brief scores:MI Emirates 208/3 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 57*, Andre Fletcher 53, Muhammad Waseem 43, Kusal Perera 38; Zahir Khan 1-21 ) beat Dubai Capitals 163/7 in 20 overs (Sam Billings 40, Tom Banton 35; Trent Boult 2-20, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2-24) by 45 runs