Dubai, January 14 (IANS) | Captain Rovman Powell’s brilliant all-round performance (48 off 29 balls and 2 wickets) helped Dubai Capitals to a resounding 73-run win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the opening match of the first International League T20. Here at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday night.Powell’s target to win the promotional opener was well supported by opener Robin Uthappa (43) and a quick 26-run stand from opener Joe Root and all-rounder Sikandar Raza as the Capitals reached 6 for 6 in 20 overs. Made an impressive score of 187 runs.
Subsequently, Powell (2 for 15) along with Aakif Raja (2 for 20) and Mujeeb ur Rehman (2 for 16) sealed a big win by restricting Abu Dhabi Riders to 114 for 9 in 20 overs. Root’s four catches were another highlight of Dubai Capitals’ stupendous win.
Uthappa, opening the innings with Root, added 35 runs for the first wicket. Root was the first to go, falling to Ali Khan, the United States’ right-arm medium pacer. Khan forced Root to be caught by UAE’s Zawar Fareed at deep square leg for 26.
Sri Lanka’s star player Bhanuka Rajapaksa faced only nine balls to score nine runs before giving a simple high catch to Sunil Narine off Russell. At the halfway stage, Dubai Capitals were 62 for 2, with skipper Powell joining Uthappa.
Captain Naren, who bowled the 12th over, was hit by Uthappa for a six over mid-wicket but Naren bowled him on the last ball. Uthappa scored 43 runs in 33 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes.
After this the Powell Show started. He dismissed the brought back Ali Khan for 21 runs in the 13th over which included two sixes. At the end of the 15th over, the score of Dubai Capitals was 120 runs for 3 wickets.
Naren bowled the 16th over and gave only five runs. Powell hit Rampaul’s first ball for a six over deep point and also hit a four on the third ball. He was dismissed on the fifth ball by Colin Ingram at deep midwicket after scoring 48 runs in 29 balls with the help of three fours and three sixes. It was Sikandar Raza, who played a quickfire 26 runs.
Chasing at a run rate of 9.35, Abu Dhabi lost an early wicket when Colin Ingram fell on the last ball of Isuru Udana’s first over, dismissing Root for 1 at first slip.
Ingram’s opening partner Paul Stirling would also have fallen to UAE medium pacer Hazrat Luqman in the first ball of the second over if Bopara had not dropped him in the overs. Sterling celebrates his luck by pulling Luqman for a boundary. Udana then bowled a tight third over and conceded just seven runs.
Lukman hit Sterling for a six and a four in the fourth over but Akif Raja, who bowled the fifth over, had Brandon King caught by wicket-keeper Uthappa at the hands of wicket-keeper Uthappa.
Zawar Fareed, who joined Sterling, hit a four off Mujeeb Ur Rahman. At the halfway point Abu Dhabi were 71 for 3 when Fareed was dismissed by Powell for 9, with the team needing 117 runs from the last ten overs.
Sterling completed his half-century in 36 balls but Powell again removed the danger man in the 12th over. Sterling scored 54 runs at long on by Root and his 38-ball innings was studded with five fours and two sixes. Half of the Abu Dhabi team were back in the dugout for 84 when Sikandar Raza hit Sunil Narine to be caught by Root for 4.
All eyes turned to Andrew Russell but UAE’s Hazrat Luqman got him caught by Root at long-off to end Abu Dhabi’s hopes.
Brief scores: Dubai Capitals 187-6 in 20 overs (Rovman Powell 48, Robin Uthappa 43; Ravi Rampaul 2-36) beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 114-9 in 20 overs (Paul Stirling 54; Rovman Powell 2-15) beat by 73 runs.
-IANS
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