Muhammad Waseem's fifty in vain as Dubai Capitals overpower MI Emirates in ILT20

David Warner's team ease to seven-wicket win in Dubai on Saturday

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  Delhi Capitals opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a match-winning fifty against MI EMirates in their ILT20 match in Dubai on Saturday, January 20, 2024. All photos ILT20

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  Dubai Capitals captain David Warner walks back to the pavilion after getting out during the ILT20 match against MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium.

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  Sikandar Raza of Dubai Capitals celebrates the wicket of MI Emirates batsman Ambati Rayudu in Dubai

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  Muhammad Waseem of MI Emirates plays a shot during the match 2 of the DP World International League T20 between the Dubai Capitals and the MI Emirates held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on the 20th January, 2023. Photo by CREIMAS/ILT20 RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

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  Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, at the Dubai International Stadium

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  A decent crowd turned up for the match between Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates

Star Australian batsman David Warner enjoyed the perfect start as captain in the DP World International League T20 as Dubai Capitals eased past MI Emirates in Dubai on Saturday.

The Capitals were set a target of 160 at the Dubai International Stadium and did not look in trouble at any moment. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed a belligerent 81 from just 39 balls with eight boundaries and four sixes to help chase down the target with four overs and seven wickets in hand.

Jake Fraser-McGurk also played his part with a 25-ball 54 to extinguish any MI Emirates hopes after new captain Warner was dismissed early by Trent Boult (2-23).

All eyes were on Warner as he has turned his full attention to franchise cricket, having retired from Tests and ODIs. But it was Afghanistan dasher Gurbaz who set the stage alight, which is no surprise as he is one of the most impactful white-ball players in the world.

MI Emirates must have had high hopes batting first after their opener and UAE captain Muhammad Waseem continued the great form he showed in 2023 by smashing 51 from just 26 balls.

Waseem was the fourth-highest run getter in the inaugural season and also the only batsman to hit 100 maximums in international cricket last year. And he looked good for more than the four sixes he hit on Saturday.

But he fell to the wily spin of Sikandar Raza. The Zimbabwe all-rounder has become hot property in franchise cricket, with his top-class batting ability and mystery spin proving an attractive option; he recently bagged his first T20 Blast contract.

Once Waseem was dismissed, the wheels began to come off. Raza (3-21) was the pick of the bowlers as he got the dangerous Nicolas Pooran out bowled. Windies all-rounder Jason Holder was the other key contributor for the Capitals, picking up 3-36.

The match attracted a decent number of fans, most probably because of the activation at the grassroots level by the league, and also because of the presence of Bollywood star and Knight Riders franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan at the Dubai International Stadium.