Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) logged an impressive all-round performance to eliminate Dubai Capitals from the International League T20, winning the Eliminator match with a 50-run victory.

Decision to bat first, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders began their innings with a blistering opening partnership between Salt and MS Pepper. Both of them made optimal use of their power play, reaching 55 without facing a wicket in their first six overs, thus putting immense pressure on the Dubai attacking line.

Pepper marked the start of a bright display as he showed his intention from the word go. The Knight Riders reached the first fifty in just 5.3 overs. The first wicket fell when the score reached 50 runs in 33 deliveries; nonetheless, the momentum had shifted to ADKR by then.

When the strategic break was called after 8 overs, the Knight Riders were moving along smoothly at 72/0, with Pepper on the verge of his half-century. The right-hand batsman soon reached a commendable 50 off 35, culminating in an elegant performance of 5 fours and 3 sixes.

Despite losing some wickets in the middle overs, the Knight Riders reached the 100-run mark in 10.4 overs, thus again demonstrating the stability of the opening order. The Dubai Capitals struck back in the end, leading to a mini-collaps, but some crucial runs by Jason Holder (22) helped ADKR reach 158/7 in 20 overs.

Dubai Capitals Innings: Narine Spins a Web

Chasing a target of 159 in a highly pressurized Eliminator, Dubai Capitals had a disastrous start, which proved costly for them. The Powerplay scene-setter was their innings, where they lost their fourth wicket with just six overs, with the score being 43/4.

Sunil Narine bowled an impeccable spell, almost a class apart from the others. The Capitals were losing wickets at regular intervals, and a slew of DRS decisions also favored the opponents.
The halfway point saw Dubai struggling at 61/5, far off the required pace. Even a meek struggle by Mohammad Nabi (27) couldn’t bring about a revival as the wickets kept falling. The middle-order collapse was caused by the spell cast by Narine.

The Dubai Caps went past 100 in the 15.2nd over, but by then, the game was out of their hands. The innings concluded on 108 in 16.2 overs, resulting in a ragging 50-run victory for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

Player of the Match

Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders)

3 wickets for 12 runs

Controlled the game with outstanding economy and decisive breakthroughs

Match Summary

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 158-7 (20 overs)

Dubai Capitals: 108 all out (16.2 overs)

Result: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders won by 50 runs