Sport
Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ winning streak in six-wicket triumph
Gulbadin Naib led the chase with a fiery 78-run innings off 51 balls, ensuring the Capitals broke a three-match losing streak
Capitals’ Gulbadin Naib led the charge with a half-century, while Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan starred with the ball, each claiming three wickets.
The Desert Vipers’ undefeated streak finally met its match on Monday, as the Dubai Capitals delivered a stunning six-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium.
A dominant bowling performance, spearheaded by Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan’s three-wicket hauls, restricted the Vipers to 139.
Gulbadin Naib then led the chase with a fiery 78-run innings off 51 balls, ensuring the Capitals broke a three-match losing streak.
Despite the low first innings total, skipper Lockie Ferguson kept the Vipers in the scheme of things with a sizzling opening spell.
Ferguson picked up Ben Dunk and Khalid Shah in the second over to leave the Capitals in trouble at 17/2.
Though the run rate was on track, Opener Shai Hope was run out for eight runs, following a mix up with Gulbadin Naib in the sixth over.
Naib, who was also dropped for two runs earlier in the innings, redeemed himself in the very next over as he took down Nathan Sowter for three sixes, bringing the required run rate to less than six runs an over.
With Sikandar Raza at one end, Naib blitzed his way to a 31-ball half-century, including two fours and three sixes.
The pair brought up a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket in as little as 36 balls. As a result, at the 14 over mark, the Capitals were well entrenched in the drivers’ seat needing 32 runs in 36 balls.
Raza, who had taken few chances so far, was caught off Mohammad Amir’s shorter one for 24 runs in 26 balls in the 15th over.
Najibullah Zadran joined Naib as the latter continued to dominate the Vipers’ bowling attack. Naib launched two more sixes as the Capitals scaled the target in 17.4 overs.
Batting first, the Vipers made a brisk start, reaching 48/1 at the end of the powerplay. Fakhar Zaman set the tone early, smashing a six and a four before being bowled by Dushmantha Chameera in the second over. Dan Lawrence, coming in at number three, matched Zaman’s intent, while Alex Hales anchored the innings from the other end.
However, the Capitals took control in the middle phase despite a 58-run stand between Hales and Lawrence. The Vipers suffered a triple blow in quick succession, losing Hales, Lawrence, and Sam Curran across three overs. Haider Ali dismissed Hales for 34 in the tenth over, followed by Lawrence’s 24-run effort being curtailed by Gulbadin Naib. Curran was then stumped off Sikandar Raza for three runs, leaving the Vipers struggling at 80/4 in 11.3 overs.
The collapse continued as the Vipers were bowled out for 139 in 20 overs. Brief contributions from Azam Khan (10) and Wanindu Hasaranga (13) ended with both falling to Zahir Khan. Sherfane Rutherford provided a glimmer of hope, striking three sixes in his 27 runs off 24 balls, but Chameera struck for the third time in the penultimate over to halt his charge.
Player of the Match, Gulbadin Naib said: “We were at the bottom of the table, so we were looking for momentum. There’s still a long way to go. It’s not easy facing bowlers of this quality. Luckily, I gave myself some time. After the drinks break, the staff told me I was looking good, so I said to Sikandar, I will play to my strengths.”
Desert Vipers captain, Lockie Ferguson said: “It was a tough one. We were probably a few runs short and had some chances. They bowled well, and the pitch spun. There’s a quick turnaround again, but the boys have been batting beautifully.”
Tuesday’s match
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will play MI Emirates on Tuesday, January 21, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi at 7pm.
The match will be broadcast live across Afghanistan by Ariana Television.
The pre-match show will start at 6.30pm Kabul time.
The full broadcasting schedule is as below:
Sport
ILT20: Nissanka fires Gulf Giants to four-wicket win over Dubai Capitals
Azmatullah Omarzai dented the innings at crucial moments, finishing with 3/46 and tightening his grip on the White Belt for leading wicket-taker.
Pathum Nissanka produced his second consecutive half-century of the season on Saturday to guide Gulf Giants to a convincing four-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals, taking them to the top of the DP World ILT20 Season 4 standings.
Nissanka smashed 67 off just 31 deliveries in a dominant display that included six fours and five sixes. His 97-run stand with James Vince (50* off 45) proved decisive in the Giants’ chase of 161, which they completed with seven balls to spare at Dubai International Stadium.
Earlier, the Capitals posted 160/6 thanks to useful contributions from Sediqullah Atal (35), David Willey (29) and Jordan Cox (31). Captain Dasun Shanaka added late impetus with an unbeaten 23 off 9 balls, including two sixes in the final over.
But Azmatullah Omarzai dented the innings at crucial moments, finishing with 3/46 and tightening his grip on the White Belt for leading wicket-taker.
The Giants’ reply wobbled briefly after the early loss of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (9) but Nissanka took charge, hammering James Neesham for three sixes in the fourth over as the Giants cruised to 60/1 by the end of the powerplay. He reached his half-century in just 23 balls.
Mustafizur Rahman and Shanaka struck in back-to-back overs to remove Nissanka and Moeen Ali, but Vince held the chase together with a composed knock. Cameos from Omarzai (14 off 12) and Tom Moores (13 off 8) ensured the required rate never spiralled out of reach, and Vince sealed victory with a well-paced fifty.
In the first innings, after Omarzai removed Shayan Jahangir early, Atal and Willey stabilised the Capitals with a 61-run partnership. But the middle overs proved costly, producing only 18 runs between the 10th and 14th overs as wickets fell to Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson and Aayan Afzal Khan. Cox and Neesham revived the innings before Omarzai returned to snuff out the momentum by dismissing Cox and Rovman Powell in the 18th over.
Speaking after the match, Giants captain Moeen Ali praised his side’s all-round display: “Getting the points while knowing we can still play better is a good sign. We squeezed them well in the middle with the ball. Nissanka is a brilliant player, and Vince controlled the chase perfectly.”
Dubai Capitals skipper Dasun Shanaka admitted his team lost control through the middle overs: “Nissanka is in the form of his life — small guy, massive hitting. We lacked intent in the middle period. We waited too long to rotate strike. Powell and I probably should have gone earlier.”
Brief Scores:
Gulf Giants beat Dubai Capitals by 4 wickets
Dubai Capitals 160/6 (20 overs): Sediqullah Atal 35, Jordan Cox 31, David Willey 29, Dasun Shanaka 23*; Azmatullah Omarzai 3/46, Aayan Afzal Khan 1/3, Moeen Ali 1/23
Gulf Giants 161/6 (18.5 overs): Pathum Nissanka 67, James Vince 50*, Azmatullah Omarzai 14; Dasun Shanaka 2/16, Mustafizur Rahman 2/26
Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
In the 27th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Sorkh Poshan Khafi edged out Arman FC 1-0 in a tightly contested clash.
On Saturday, Sarafan Herat secured a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq Khanzadah, keeping the league race intense and unpredictable.
Looking ahead to Monday, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 2:00 p.m., promising another thrilling showdown for fans.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, allowing football enthusiasts across Afghanistan to follow the action and enjoy the excitement of the Champions League season.
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
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