Dubai Capitals secured a dramatic one-run victory over MI Emirates in the opening match of ILT20 Season 3 at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday. In a contest that went down to the wire, the Capitals overcame a brilliant half-century by Nicholas Pooran to register the narrowest win in the tournament’s history.
Chasing a modest target of 134, MI Emirates seemed to have the upper hand as they required just 16 runs off the final 15 balls. However, the Capitals’ bowling unit, led by Player of the Match Gulbadin Naib, staged a remarkable comeback. Naib bowled with precision, claiming 3 for 13 in his four overs, including the vital wicket of Pooran in the 18th over. Olly Stone, who returned figures of 2 for 14, also played a key role by conceding just one run in the 19th over.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
The pressure was on the experienced Kieron Pollard to finish the chase in the last over, with MI Emirates needing 13 runs to win. However, Farhan Khan held his nerve, giving away only 11 runs and denying Pollard the finishing touch, as MI Emirates fell short on the final ball of the match.

Pooran was the standout performer for MI Emirates, scoring a brilliant 61 off 40 balls, studded with three boundaries and four sixes. After MI Emirates slumped to 23/4 in 4.3 overs, Pooran stitched a crucial 79-run partnership with Akeal Hosein (30 off 31 balls). Their effort revived the innings and brought MI Emirates within touching distance of victory. However, Naib’s double strike in the 18th over, including the dismissal of Pooran, turned the game in the Capitals’ favour.

Earlier, the Dubai Capitals struggled to put up a competitive total, finishing at 133/8 in their 20 overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi was the star with the ball for MI Emirates, claiming an extraordinary five-wicket haul (5 for 15). His clinical performance included a toe-crushing yorker to dismiss Rovman Powell (25 off 20 balls) in the 19th over. Farooqi’s late burst also saw him send Dasun Shanaka (13) and Olly Stone back to the pavilion, leaving the Capitals with an underwhelming total to defend.
Scottish batter Brandon McMullen was the anchor for the Capitals’ innings, scoring a gritty 58 off 42 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes. McMullen’s effort helped the Capitals recover from a slow start after both openers, Shai Hope and Adam Rossington, were dismissed for single-digit scores. Rovman Powell contributed a quickfire 25, but the Capitals struggled to accelerate in the death overs, managing only four runs in the final over.
Despite their low total, the Capitals’ bowlers stepped up to the occasion.

“That is the beauty of cricket and T20,” said Naib after the match. “Not a good total on the board, but we defended it, with the guys giving 100%. The pitch was helping the bowlers a lot. Not easy for the batters. We just tried to keep it stump to stump, and we did it.”
The thrilling victory sets the tone for an action-packed ILT20 Season 3, promising more edge-of-the-seat moments in the weeks to come.