Dubai,
A last-ball six by Sikandar Raza and his fighting unbeaten 60 off 45 balls with five boundaries and two sixes lifted Dubai Capitals to a nail-biting five-wicket win over Dubai Capitals in the 27th match of the ILT20 season 2 at the Dubai International Stadium. Raza orchestrated his team’s victory through a 79-run partnership in 54 balls for the fourth wicket with Sam Billings, who cracked 57 off 36 balls with five boundaries and two sixes, and a 40 runs partnership in 23 balls with Dasun Shanaka (10) for the fifth wicket.
With 13 runs needed off the last over, UAE’s 19-year-old medium pacer Ali Naseer bowled a brave over, but when six runs were needed off the last ball Raza hit him over long on.
Vipers had posted a challenging 171 for 7 through Alex Hales 66 off 37 balls with four boundaries and six sixes, and his 66 runs opening partnership with Phil Salt (26). Other than Michael Jones’s cameo of 20, all the rest struggled for runs.
Chasing a run-rate of 8.55, the opening partnership between Tom Banton and Max Holden lasted only 16 runs. Holden fell to a superb leaping catch by Adam Hose at covers off Sam Curran for 8. Ben Dunk too got clean bowled to a delivery that beat him to hit the top of his off stump for 1. When Banton pulled Ali Naseer to Daniel Lawrence at deep square leg for 15, Capitals were in trouble.
Dasun Shanaka and Raza pushed the target closer with 29 runs needed off the last 18 balls. Raza reached his half century in 38 balls. Sam Curran ended the Raza-Shanaka partnership of 40 runs in 23 balls by clean bowling Shanaka for 10.
Brief scores:
Dubai Capitals bt Desert Vipers by 5 wkts.
Desert Vipers 171 for 7 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 26, Alex Hales 66, Michael Jones 20, Olly Stone 2 for 31, Roelof van der Merwe 2 for 19) Dubai Capitals 172 for 5 in 20 overs (Sam Billings 57, Sikandar Raza 60n.o, Sam Curran 2 for 39)
Player of the Match: Sikandar Raza