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So that is it from this game. Just to make it clear, the Knight Riders have also now qualified for the play-offs along with the MI Emirates and Gulf Giants. The Sharjah Warriors need a big win in tomorrow to eliminate the Dubai Capitals and find their way into the top four. This is Probuddha Bhattacharjee signing off on behalf of my co-commentator and good friend, Arya Sekhar Chakraborty. You can change tabs and enjoy the Final of the SA20 2024 on Sportskeeda. It is bye from here!!! See you next time!!!!!
Sam Billings (Dubai Capitals): Lot of respect for Pollard. We were chatting about plans for the next few month. I think, this has been a tournament of trends. The part where we struggled in today was after the powerplay. Max Holden was brilliant and he gave us a brilliant start. Tom Banton also did a great job. It is difficult to accept that you are probably struggling and give the strike to the one who is doing really well. But Tom did that pretty well. But unfortunately we failed to make the most of that start. We took things a bit granted and looked to score at 8-9 runs per over and gave our wickets away. There was a bit of movement with the tinge of grass on the wicket. But we knew it will be spin to win here. Zahir, who flew in today bowled brilliantly and picked up the important wicket of Kieron Pollard. (Regarding the dropped chances)The important thing for me is that the fielders were still going for the catches even after dropping one. I am not going to have a go on someone, who has made the effort. (On the last league match and qualification scenario) No not really, things like this concerned me when I was a bit younger but not now. We have done our bit and the rest is not under our control.
Kieron Pollard (MI Emirates captain): Obviously in terms of points its not significant but as I SAID winning is a habit and so is losing. Restricting the opposition to 157 an 147 and then not being able to chase it down is a concern. There was nothing wrong with the pitch. We tried to hit some big shots and tried to break the backbone of the match, we have to analyse things better. I don't want my guys complaining abut conditions. Go back and try to do whatever we have been doing from the start of the tournament. It's a matter of executing the plans.
Match End!!!!
MI Emirates scored 128/8 in their 20 overs. The Dubai Capitals won the match by 19 runs.
Max Holden - 51 (33) | Daniel Mousley - 2/22 (4 Overs) Andre Fletcher - 45 (38) | Haider Ali - 3/16 (4 Overs)
The target was not a huge one for the MI Emirates and the Capitals allowed them to get off to a decent start. There were a couple of chances in the first two overs that were not taken. But Kuggeleijn soon dismissed Perera and gave the first breakthrough to the Capitals.
They lost Banton also pretty quickly. After that, the spinners kept on bowling some efficient overs. Emirates lost a couple of more wickets and were struggling at 63 for 4 after nine overs. At this stage, a lot of the game depended on how Kieron Pollard batted for the Emirates. But he lasted for only one big scoring shot before being dismissed by Zahir Khan.
The pressure was on the Emirates at this stage. Andre Fletcher and Jordan Thompson steadied down things a bit. But the lack of boundaries pushed the required rate past the 9-runs per over mark when the 15th over finished. The game was in the balance with 47 runs needed off 30 balls and MI Emirates having five wickets in the bank.
But Sam Billings maneuvered his bowlers brilliantly and they responded brilliantly to his call. Stone and Kuggeleijn finished off the great work by the spinners and restricted the Emirates to 128, thus winning that game by 19 runs. Much like the first innings, the spinners bossed the proceedings in this phase too. The 12 overs from the Capitals’ spinners just cost 62 runs for 6 wickets.
With this win the Capitals have gone a long way to ensure a top four finish. It will take something out of the ordinary for the Warriors tomorrow to eliminate the Capitals.
20
overs
128/8score
0
2
W
1
1
1
runs
Trent Boult*
2(2)
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth
8(13)
Olly Stone
1/36
19.6 Olly Stone to Trent Boult, Boult makes some room and squeezes away the low full toss towards the cover-point region for a single. Dubai Capitals win by 19 runs and have done everything they can to qualify for the playoffs.
19.5 Olly Stone to Vijaykanth Viyaskanth, on a good-length around the middle stump, a mistimed swing across the line towards the square leg region for a single.
19.4 Olly Stone to Trent Boult, another chance goes down, smacks this fuller one a tad outside off, aerially towards the mid-off fielder, takes a single.
Trent Boult, RHB, is the next batter.
19.3 Olly Stone to Dwayne Bravo, WICKET! Full and straight and the middle stump goes for a toss. Bravo losing his shape a tad while going for an almighty swing across the line, doesn't make contact as one more bites the dust for the MI Emirates.