Dubai Capitals brought Desert Vipers‘ undefeated run to an abrupt halt with a six-wicket win on Monday at the Dubai International Stadium.
A combined bowling effort, led by Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan’s three-wicket hauls, restricted the Vipers to a modest 139. Gulbadin Naib then delivered a masterful innings, scoring 78 not out off 51 balls to steer his team to victory and end their three-match losing streak.
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Reflecting on his performance, Naib said, “You can say that it was not that easy for me. There’s always pressure in such moments, but we know this ground well – it’s our home turf. I caught the momentum I needed in batting, stayed patient for the right ball, and stuck to my strengths. That’s how I carried through to the end to finish the match.”
Naib remained unfazed by the challenge of facing a strong Vipers bowling lineup, which included stars like Lockie Ferguson and Wanindu Hasaranga. “My style of cricket is simple – whatever ball I get in my area, I finish it, whether it’s the first ball or the tenth. I don’t worry about who’s bowling; I play to my strengths. Yes, their bowling attack is strong, but the score wasn’t so high, and with the partnership I built with Sikandar [Raza] (66 runs for the fourth wicket), we were able to see it through,” he added.
For the Vipers, coach Tom Moody expressed disappointment with his team’s performance. “Yeah, look, disappointing from our standpoint. We didn’t really get into the contest. I felt we were probably 20 or 30 runs short. The surface was slow, but we didn’t adapt quickly enough,” Moody said.
Despite the loss, Moody remained optimistic about the team’s prospects. “We’ve had a good start to the tournament, and this is just a setback. It’s important to learn from games like this. There’s a bit of mental and physical fatigue, but we’ll regroup and get back to our best game plan,” he noted.
Moody also commended the growth of cricket in the UAE, citing ILT20 as a significant factor. “The tournament has been terrific for emerging players in the UAE. The improvement in the local talent is clear, and ILT20 is playing a key role in fast-tracking their development,” he said.
The defeat marked a rare lapse in the Vipers’ otherwise dominant campaign, but Moody praised captain Lockie Ferguson’s leadership. “Lockie’s done a great job. He’s a thoughtful captain who reads the game well, and the players have really responded to him. It’s been a great opportunity for him, and he’s handled it brilliantly,” he said.
As the Capitals celebrate a morale-boosting victory, Naib’s words encapsulate the resilience needed in a long tournament: “Mistakes happen, but it’s about bouncing back and giving your hundred percent. The tournament is long, and it’s not decided on one match. We’ll keep striving to perform better each game.”
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