In a dramatic turnaround at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium, Dubai Capitals clinched a decisive six-wicket victory against Gulf Giants in Sunday’s DP World ILT20 encounter. This crucial win propels the Capitals to second position in the tournament standings while extending the Giants’ losing streak to four consecutive matches.
The match witnessed a spectacular bowling performance from Mustafizur Rahman, whose triple-wicket breakthrough in the 14th over dramatically shifted the game’s momentum. Despite a threatening 66-run partnership between James Vince (36 off 34) and Azmatullah Omarzai (43 off 26) that had positioned the Giants favorably, Rahman’s devastating spell triggered a collapse that restricted them to 156 all out.
Chasing a modest target, the Capitals demonstrated strategic batting prowess. Shayan Jahangir anchored the innings with a composed 48 from 44 deliveries, providing crucial stability after early setbacks. The chase culminated in a spectacular finish as Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 47 from 31 balls, complemented by Mohammad Nabi’s explosive 25 not out from 14 deliveries, sealed the victory with four balls remaining.
The Giants’ innings began promisingly with Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive 25 from 11 balls, but early breakthroughs from Haider Ali and Nabi left them struggling at 53-3 after the powerplay. The middle-order partnership between Vince and Omarzai offered temporary respite before Rahman’s intervention proved decisive. The Giants’ final hopes evaporated in a chaotic final over featuring three run-outs.
Stand-in captain Mohammad Nabi praised the collective effort, highlighting Rahman’s game-changing over and Powell’s intelligent chase management. Opposite skipper James Vince acknowledged recurring patterns in his team’s performances, noting the tendency to lose multiple wickets in quick succession after establishing promising positions.
Mustafizur Rahman deservedly earned Player of the Match honors for his match-defining bowling performance that ultimately shaped the contest’s outcome.