Dubai Capitals assert authority in 63-run win over Sharjah Warriorz

Dubai, Dec 20 (PTI) Dubai Capitals defeated Sharjah Warriorz for the first time in DP World ILT20 history, with a resounding 63-run victory at the Dubai International Stadium here.

A measured half-century from Sediqullah Atal (66 off 44) was complemented by a fiery finish from Mohammad Nabi (38 not out off 19) as the Capitals set up a target of 181.

Warriorz were then halted by a clinical performance from the Capitals' bowling attack, including three-wicket hauls from Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil. James Rew waged a lone battle, top-scoring with 47 runs for Warriorz.

The race for the three remaining playoff berths remains wide open as Dubai Capitals moved to second place with six points.

Four teams are level with six points, while Desert Vipers and the Sharjah Warriorz sit at opposite ends of the table with 12 and four points respectively.

The run chase was rocked early as Mustafizur Rahman made the first incision with the wicket of Johnson Charles before Haider Ali claimed Tom Kohler-Cadmore (15 off 12) and Tom Abell (15 off 13) to leave Warriorz at 45/3 in six overs.

Sikandar Raza (21 off 14) and James Rew (47 off 38) looked to find momentum with a 39-run partnership in 27 balls before Raza fell to Waqar Salamkheil in the 11th over.

While Rew managed the odd boundary, the asking rate ballooned to almost 12 an over for the final seven overs.

The equation proved too steep, and wickets fell in clusters as Nabi made his presence felt with the ball as well, picking up Ethan D'Souza (5 off 10), Wasim Akram (0 off 2) and Rew, to cap off a miserly spell that only conceded 23 runs.

Salamkheil broke through again to snap up the dangerous Dwaine Pretorius (1 off 4) and Harmeet Singh (2 off 2) to finish with 3/22. The Warriorz eventually bundled up for 117 runs in 17 overs.

In the first innings, Raza had pushed the Capitals on the back foot with the wicket of the in-form Shayan Jahangir (1 off 3) in the first over.

Jordan Cox (28 off 19) departed to Taskin Ahmed but only after he worked five fluent boundaries to power the Capitals to 60/2 by the end of the powerplay.

Opener Sediqullah Atal played a vital knock with minimal risk. In the middle overs, he joined Leus du Plooy (18 off 14) for a 33-run stand in 21 balls before Plooy was accounted for by Adil Rashid in the 10th over.

Rovman Powell (12 off 11) was the next batter to go, off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana.

Atal led a 14-run assault against Wasim Akram in the 15th, bringing up a 35-ball half-century in the process.

Mohammad then clubbed three boundaries and three sixes to provide the final flourish the Capitals needed. PTI AH TAP