The modern game of Twenty/20 cricket has an unpleasant duality. Either you are gradually smothered by enigmatic spinners or bashed into oblivion by pure force, and on their way to the last group stage performance in the ILT20, MI Emirates had decided to subject the Dubai Capitals to both methods. This was much more than a victory for MI Emirates; this was a declaration of what they planned to do with the remaining games left to play in the ILT20. The Capitals probably thought they could regain some pride by limiting MI Emirates to a miserly 122, a score better suited to the year 2014 rather than 2025.
The Lethal Switch from Pace to Paralysis
The game was effectively won in the transition phase of the first innings. The Capitals actually started with intent, finding the rope four times in the first three overs. But the moment MI Emirates introduced spin in the fourth over, the game’s pulse flatlined. This is where tactical captaincy shines: realizing the pitch’s truth early. While Shakib Al Hasan applied the tourniquet (finishing with a miserly 1-11), it was AM Ghazanfar who went for the jugular. By removing Sediqullah Atal and Shayan Jahangir in quick succession, the spin unit didn’t just stop the run flow; they forced the Capitals batters to take high-risk options against balls that simply weren’t there to be hit. Ghazanfar’s figures of 3 for 28 tell the story of a middle order that had no answer to the turning ball.
A Masterclass in Middle-Order Self-Destruction
When the bowling was tight, the Capitals’ batting was an example of what happens when you collapse on your own accord in a neutral position in a T20 match. Losing five wickets for 53 at the halfway point is unacceptable at this stage of development. When they lost Leus du Plooy to a run out, it seemed a classic example of the panic that set in as they tried to force runs rather than continue accumulating runs steadily. Once again, the Capitals were unable to read the game situation when James Neesham gave them some hope after making a rapid-fire 21. It was not simply the loss of a wicket for Neesham to offer a return catch to Ghazanfar that killed off the last bit of resistance; it was his wicket that ended the Capitals’ chances of defending their score. A small battle between Mohammad Nabi and Scott Currie helped keep the Capitals alive long enough to avoid being embarrassed. It always felt like there would be no way to defend 122/8.
Brute Force Economics in a Single Over
The chase was a formality, but Kieron Pollard decided to turn it into an exhibition. After Muhammad Waseem blunted David Willey’s new-ball threat with an 18-run opening over, the Emirates coasted. However, the game needed a definitive exclamation point. Enter Pollard in the 16th over. The equation was simple, but Pollard’s execution was violent. Facing Waqar Salamkheil, the MI skipper decided that “accumulating” was boring. He smashed 30 runs in six balls, three sixes (including a majestic hit over extra cover) plus boundaries and twos. It was a stark reminder that while tactics and spin win phases, raw power finishes games. That single over broke the shackles of a quiet period and ensured MI Emirates didn’t just win; they stormed into the playoffs with their net run rate and confidence sky-high.
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