Dubai,
Dubai Capitals’ Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza produced a clinical run chase to register a five-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the eighth match of the ILT20 season 2 at the Dubai International Stadium. Chasing Knight Riders’ impressive total of 183 for 4 in 20 overs, Billings cracked an elegant 67 off 35 balls with nine boundaries and one six, well-backed by Sikandar Raza who scored 43 off 29 balls with five boundaries, to win the match with 23 balls to spare. The pair put on a 109 runs partnership off 59 balls for the fourth wicket.
None expected Dubai Capitals to record such a comfortable win after Knight Riders’ impressive batting show lead by Sam Hain and Laurie Evans. They had put on a 131-run partnership in 78 balls for the fourth wicket. Hain scored 77 runs off 49 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes. Evans hit an unbeaten 67 off 41 balls with six boundaries and two sixes.
Player of the Match, Sam Billings, said that he only maintained the momentum. “I think it is a lot easier when you are ahead of the game, thanks to Fraser-McGurk and Gurbaz. We just had to continue that momentum. Although the toss does play a factor, we played really well. Raza and I were running hard between the wickets, and the lack of dot balls puts pressure on the bowlers.”
Brief scores:
Dubai Capitals bt Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 5 wkts.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 183 for 4 in 20 overs (Sam Hain 77, Laurie Evans 67, Dushmantha Chameera 2 for 35)
Dubai Capitals 185 for 5 in 16.1 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 21, Jake Fraser-McGurk 41, Sam Billings 67, Sikandar Raza 43, David Willey 2 for 44, Sunil Narine 2 for 23)
Player of the Match: Sam Billings