NEW DELHI: The Gulf Giants secured their inaugural victory in ILT20 Season 3, defeating the Dubai Capitals by six wickets on Saturday.
In pursuit of 166, Gerhard Erasmus and Shimron Hetmyer constructed a decisive 80-run partnership in 44 deliveries. Erasmus remained unbeaten with a 34-ball fifty, whilst Hetmyer scored an undefeated 41 from 20 deliveries, including four sixes.
The Dubai Capitals, batting first, struggled to maintain momentum, finishing at 165/7 in their allocated overs. Aayan Afzal Khan and Mark Adair were the standout bowlers, each claiming two wickets.
Adam Lyth initiated the Giants’ chase brilliantly, scoring 32 runs from 17 balls with four boundaries and a six before Farhan Khan dismissed him in the eighth over.
Previously, James Vince departed for 10 runs in the fourth over to Obed McCoy, followed by Ibrahim Zadran’s dismissal by Scott Kuggeleijn, placing the Giants in a challenging position.
Jordan Cox and Gerhard Erasmus steadied the innings with a 35-run partnership. Cox contributed 27 runs before being caught by Olly Stone off Sikandar Raza. The Giants stood at 88/5 after 11.5 overs.
The Erasmus-Hetmyer partnership required 48 runs from 30 balls. They achieved this through calculated aggression, including a 12-run over against McCoy and an 18-run over featuring two Hetmyer sixes off Stone. The chase concluded in 18.1 overs.
The Capitals’ innings began uncertainly, losing Shai Hope (11) to Blessing Muzarabani and Ben Dunk (28) to Uzair Khan during the powerplay. Aayan Afzal Khan removed Brandon McMullen for 11.
Sikandar Raza and Rovman Powell contributed a 45-run partnership. Raza scored 28 before falling to Wahidullah Zadran, while Powell made 25 before Aayan Afzal Khan claimed his wicket, leaving the score at 121/5 after 15.1 overs.
Gulbadin Naib scored 15 before Mark Adair dismissed him and Kuggeleijn in quick succession. Dasun Shanaka’s vital 33 from 20 balls, including three sixes, helped achieve the final total.
“We were raring to get our first win, having lost the first few. When you know you have quality around you, you know you have a bit more time. I think teams can often get tense when you’re not getting your first win, but we came together and created positive energy and that went a long way in helping us express ourselves out there. I have special memories in this ground with the Namibian team as well,” said Player of the Match, Gerhard Erasmus.
Dubai Capitals captain, Sikandar Raza commented: “It was a little bit more like a Sharjah wicket I felt. The way Erasmus and Hetmyer were batting even 170 wouldn’t have been enough. Sometimes we doze off here and there and it has cost us a couple games. In the ILT20 anybody can beat anybody.”
