DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Former West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran was the lead actor among his peers, but unbeaten half-centuries from Dasun Shanaka and Sikandar Raza steered Dubai Capitals to a stunning seven-wicket win against his MI Emirates in the ILT20 yesterday.
The left-handed Pooran smashed five fours and one six in the top score of 43 from 31 balls and led a recovery effort that enabled Emirates to reach 164 for seven from their 20 overs in front of a large crowd at the Dubai International Stadium.
Discarded West Indies opener Andre Fletcher hit two consecutive boundaries off Fred Klaassen in the first over of the match, but fell to the first ball of the second over from Jake Ball. Emirates wobbled to 76 for four in the ninth over before Pooran took charge in a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket with Dan Mousley, not out on 31, that ended when the Trinidadian was caught at deep cover off Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa in the 17th over.
But Shanaka hit five boundaries and three sixes in 58 not out from 36 balls and Raza counted four fours and four sixes in 56 not out from the same number of balls to carry Capitals to victory with 11 balls remaining.
Shanaka and Raza shared 122 unbroken for the fourth wicket, after West Indies batsman Rovman Powell was caught at deep mid-wicket for a second-ball duck, and Capitals stumbled to 44 for three in the seventh over.
