Gulf Giants defeated Dubai Capitals by 101 runs to register their third consecutive win in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday, January 19.
Captain James Vince’s scintillating 48-ball 76 and Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 37 off 19 balls guided the Giants to a commanding score of 181/6 in their allotted 20 overs. In reply, the Capitals lost wickets at regular intervals as they were bundled out for 80 in 14.3 overs.
Earlier, the Capitals captain Rovman Powell won the toss and opted to bowl first. The visitors made as many as four changes bringing in Chirag Suri, Yusuf Pathan, Fabian Allen and Chamika Karunaratne in the playing XI. On the other hand, Chris Lynn replaced Ollie Pope in the Giants’ XI.
Vince and Rehan Ahmed got the Giants off to a good start before the latter was dismissed by the Capitals left-arm pacer Isuru Udana for 12.
Swashbuckling Australian batter Chris Lynn joined Vince at the crease. The duo played sensibly as the Giants reached fifty in 6.3 overs.
Meanwhile, Vince continued his sensational form as he notched up his third consecutive half-century in the inaugural ILT20, this time in just 33 balls.
While Vince and Lynn forged a brilliant 82-run stand for the second wicket, the Giants suffered a massive setback as they lost four wickets in quick succession.
From 104/1 in 11.5 overs, the Giants suddenly crumbled to 121/5 as the hosts lost the huge wickets of Lynn (25), Gerhard Erasmus (3), Vince (76) and David Wiese (0) in a span of three overs.
In desperate need of a partnership, Shimron Hetmyer and Liam Dawson produced an impressive 54-run stand for the sixth wicket to bring the Giants back into the game.
Hetmyer’s unbeaten 37 off 19 balls and Liam Dawson’s 13-ball 18 powered the Giants to 181/6 in their 20 overs.
For the Capitals, Akif Raja and Udana bagged two wickets each.
Defending 182, the Giants’ fast bowler Richard Gleeson removed in-form Robin Uthappa for a solitary run in the very first over of the chase.
All-rounder Wiese added more misery on the Capitals’ batting line-up as he trapped Suri (6) in front of the stumps, and followed it up by taking an outstanding catch of his own bowling to dismiss captain Powell (0).
The Giants’ leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed joined the party as he cleaned up Joe Root for 20.
Wiese scalped his third wicket of the match as he dismissed veteran Indian batter Pathan for just 3.
Chris Jordan later removed Allen (4), Karunaratne (4) and Raja (0) to bowl out the Capitals for 80 and secure a dominating victory.
Wiese and Jordan were the standout bowlers for the Giants, having claimed three wickets each.
With six points from three matches, the Giants have jumped to the top of the ILT20 2023 standings.
The Vince-led Giants next square off against the Desert Vipers in their fourth match of the tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, January 22.
