Sports Bulletin

Abu Dhabi (Sports News): The Dubai Capitals sealed an important six-wicket win over the Gulf Giants courtesy of an impressive all-round display at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday. With this win, the Capitals have moved to second on the points table, while the Giants slid to a fourth consecutive defeat.Mustafizur Rahman took his three wickets in the 14th over but it was enough to turn the tide after James Vince (36 off 34) and Azmatullah Omarzai (43 off 26) looked dangerous in the middle overs. His bowling helped the Capitals bundle out the Giants for 156. Shayan Jahangir’s controlled innings of 48 from 44 balls, set up the Capitals before Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 47 off 31, including a four and three sixes, sealed the win.The Capitals made a calculated start to the chase with Jahangir providing early impetus, with a six and four boundaries to lift them to 33/0 after four overs. The momentum shifted in the fifth over as Omarzai struck twice to remove Sediqullah Atal (9 off 10) and Jordan Cox (0 off 2). At the end of the powerplay they were 42/2, needing 115 more for the win.Despite the sub-par total, the Giants’ spinners applied the pressure, with runs coming mostly in singles. Jahangir held the innings together, ably supported by Leus du Plooy (22 off 15), before Fred Klaassen shattered his stumps just as the partnership of 31 runs in 27 balls was building was building. With Powell initially quiet on arrival, the Capitals reached the halfway stage at 68/3, leaving them needing 89 from the final 10 overs.The key wicket of Jahangir fell in the 15th over just as he looked set to accelerate. His dismissal briefly checked the chase, but Powell ensured momentum did not slip away, providing the late surge. Mohammad Nabi (25* off 14) then ensured that the contest was settled in emphatic fashion in the final over as he first brought scores level with a four before sealing the chase with a six. Earlier in the game, the Giants raced out of the blocks thanks to Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive start, smashing 25 off just 11 balls to power the side to 39/0 after three overs. Haider Ali then struck in the fourth over to remove Gurbaz and added a second scalp to get Lorcan Tucker (1 off 4) in the sixth. Between these two wickets, Nabi chipped in by dismissing Moeen Ali (7 off 6), as the Giants closed the powerplay at 53/3.Vince and Omarzai then stitched together a crucial partnership to stabilise the Giants’ innings. Together, they put up 66 runs in 46 balls in the middle overs as the duo carried the Giants past the halfway mark and kept the scoring rate ticking.The momentum shifted decisively when Mustafizur Rahman returned for a devastating spell in the 14th over. The left-arm pacer removed Vince, Omarzai and Sean Dickson (0 off 1) in quick succession, reducing the Giants from 110/3 to 116/6 and exposing the lower order.Kyle Mayers (24 off 20) and Mark Adair (12 off 12) attempted a late push, adding some urgency with boundaries in the 18th over, but chaos ensued at the death. The final over saw a remarkable hat-trick of run-outs, as panic between the wickets undid the Giants’ late resistance. From 152/7, they were bowled out for 156.Brief ScoresGulf Giants 156 all out in 19.5 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 43, James Vince 36, Mustafizur Rahman 3 for 34, Haider Ali 2 for 24)Dubai Capitals 162/4 in 19.2 overs (Shayan Jahangir 48, Rovman Powell 47 not out, Mohammad Nabi 25 not out, Azmatullah Omarzai 2 for 27)Player of the match: Mustafizur Rahman

Dubai (Sports News): The Dubai Capitals defeated the Sharjah Warriorz for the first time in DP World ILT20 history, with a resounding 63-run victory at the Dubai International Stadium. A measured half-century from Sediqullah Atal (66 off 44) was complimented by a fiery finish from Mohammad Nabi (38* off 19) as the Capitals set up an unbreachable target of 181.The Warriorz were then halted by a clinical performance from the Capitals’ bowling attack, including three-wicket hauls from Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil. James Rew waged a lone battle, top scoring with 47 runs for the Warriorz.The race for the three remaining playoff berths remains wide open as Dubai Capitals moved to second place with six points. Four teams are level with six points, while the Desert Vipers and the Sharjah Warriorz sit at opposite ends of the points table with 12 and four points respectively.The run chase was rocked early as Mustafizur Rahman made the first incision with the wicket of Johnson Charles before Haider Ali claimed Tom Kohler-Cadmore (15 off 12) and Tom Abell (15 off 13) to leave the Warriorz at 45/3 in six overs.Sikandar Raza (21 off 14) and James Rew (47 off 38) looked to find momentum with a 39-run partnership in 27 balls before Raza fell to Waqar Salamkheil in the 11th over. While Rew managed the odd boundary, the asking rate ballooned to almost 12 an over for the final seven overs.The equation proved too steep, and wickets fell in clusters as Nabi made his presence felt with the ball as well, picking up Ethan D’Souza (5 off 10), Wasim Akram (0 off 2) and Rew, to cap off a miserly spell that only conceded 23 runs. Salamkheil broke through again to snap up the dangerous Dwaine Pretorius (1 off 4) and Harmeet Singh (2 off 2) to finish with 3/22. The Warriorz eventually bundled up for 117 runs in 17 overs.In the first innings, Raza had pushed the Capitals on the back foot with the wicket of the in-form Shayan Jahangir (1 off 3) in the first over. Jordan Cox (28 off 19) departed to Taskin Ahmed but only after he worked five fluent boundaries to power the Capitals to 60/2 by the end of the powerplay.Opener Sediqullah Atal played a vital knock with minimal risk. In the middle overs, he joined Leus du Plooy (18 off 14) for a 33-run stand in 21 balls before Plooy was accounted for by Adil Rashid in the 10th over. Rovman Powell (12 off 11) was the next batter to go, off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana.Atal led a 14-run assault against Wasim Akram in the 15th, bringing up a 35-ball half-century in the process. At the 15-over mark, the Capitals were set up for a big finish at 129/4.Mohammad Nabi opened fire immediately, clubbing three boundaries and three sixes to provide the flourish the Capitals needed. Meanwhile, Taskin Ahmed gave Atal a reprieve in the outfield, when the batter was on 60, but the pacer quickly redeemed himself to remove the opener in the 17th over.Taskin struck again to remove Dasun Shanaka (5 off 9) in the final over, but the Capitals squeezed 12 runs to post a daunting target on a challenging surface.Player of the Match, Mohammad Nabi said:“The top order set a great platform for the middle order. I always try to practice my power hitting since I bat at number six or seven a lot. Sediqullah Atal has been on the bench for a few games, but he came back to bat really well today and Salamkheil is always picking up wickets.”Captain of the Sharjah Warriorz, Sikandar Raza said:“We didn't really field well to start with. We bowled well in patches. On that wicket, the score was chasable; we needed partnerships. After winning two in a row, this loss is a setback, but we need to start peaking now to stay in the competition. Facing the table-topping Desert Vipers tomorrow will be a true test of where this team stands."Brief ScoresDubai Capitals 180/6 in 20 overs (Sediqullah Atal 66, Mohammad Nabi 38 not out, Jordan Cox 28, Taskin Ahmed 3 for 40)Sharjah Warriorz 117/10 in 17 overs (James Rew 47, Sikandar Raza 21, Mohammad Nabi 3 for 23, Waqar Salamkheil 3 for 22, Haider Ali 2 for 19, Mustafizur Rahman 2 for 13)

Abu Dhabi (Cricket News): The Sharjah Warriorz produced a well-rounded performance to edge past MI Emirates by six runs at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday. It was their first win of the DP World ILT20 Season 4, led by the batting prowess of Johnson Charles, with a lot of credit also going to the bowlers.Charles set the tone for the match with a composed 77 off 53 balls, including seven fours and four sixes as the Warriorz set a target of 175. In reply, MI Emirates were given early impetus by their openers, but the momentum shifted decisively in the middle overs. Sikander Raza and Junaid Siddique’s two wickets each proved crucial for the Warriorz, ensuring that Nicholas Pooran’s late assault of 48 in 35 balls went in vain.Jonny Bairstow (31 off 23) and Mohammad Waseem (44 off 29) set the tone early, with Waseem striking a six off Taskin Ahmed and both batters finding regular boundaries off Maheesh Theekshana. Despite disciplined spells from Taskin, Junaid Siddique and Matheesha Pathirana, the openers brought up a brisk fifty stand inside six overs, powering MI Emirates to 54/0 at the end of the powerplay.The Warriorz hit back through stand-in skipper Raza, who turned the game in the middle overs. He first removed Bairstow in the eighth over, with Pathirana taking a sharp catch, and then dismissed Waseem in the 10th, bringing MI Emirates’ strong start to a halt.The pressure soon told as the collapse gathered pace. Pathirana accounted for Tom Banton (11 off 14) in the 13th over, before Siddique struck twice in the 15th, dismissing Kieron Pollard (1 off 4) and Romario Shepherd (2 off 3) in quick succession to leave MI Emirates reeling.Needing 25 off the final over, Pooran threatened to steal the game with three sixes, but Siddique held his nerve, conceding only 18 runs to seal a tense six-run victory for the Warriorz.Earlier in the match, Farooqi initially kept things tight, but Charles soon broke free, cracking a six and two fours in a 17-run third over to lift the tempo. Allah Ghazanfar then came under pressure as Charles struck a pair of boundaries, while Tom Kohler-Cadmore (30 off 32) played a steady supporting role. The Warriorz made a measured powerplay start, reaching 48 without loss.Charles continued to anchor the innings, bringing up a half-century off Rashid Khan in the tenth over. Kohler-Cadmore rotated strike efficiently at the other end as the pair took the Warriorz to 109/0 after 13 overs, laying a strong platform for a big total.The 112-run stand off 82 balls was finally broken in the 14th over when Ghazanfar removed Charles. Kohler-Cadmore followed soon after, and the Warriorz briefly faced pressure for the first time in the innings.Raza (29 off 22) ensured the momentum was maintained in the death overs, striking cleanly off Farooqi and punishing full tosses and wides, while James Rew (24 off 14) added a brisk cameo. Zahoor Khan then finished strongly, dismissing Raza with a well-directed slower bouncer and conceding no boundaries in the final over as the Warriorz closed on 174/3.

Abu Dhabi (Sports News): MI Emirates returned to winning ways after securing a seven-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Thursday. The win took the side to third on the points table with four points to their name, having won two of their four matches in the DP World ILT20 Season 4.It was a comprehensive performance with both bat and ball by the MI Emirates, who rode of Fazalhaq Farooqi’s 4 for 14 and Kamindu Mendis’ three wickets in the first innings to bowl them out for 122. Chasing a meagre total, Muhammad Waseem’s quickfire 27 runs off 12 balls, and then Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 49 off 38 balls, including seven fours, was enough to take MI Emirates over the line.Waseem opened the chase in style, smashing three sixes off Khary Pierre in the third over. He looked dangerous, but Ajay Kumar removed him with an edge to the wicketkeeper in the fourth over.Nicholas Pooran (3 off 6) fell soon after, nicking to Brandon McMullen off Jason Holder, but Bairstow took control. He blasted Kumar for four fours in a 17-run over, and Tom Banton (29 off 20) added a 16-run surge off Olly Stone, including two fours and a six. Their onslaught reduced the target to just 34 runs needed from 66 balls by the ninth over.Banton and Bairstow’s 64-run stand off 43 balls ended when Pierre had Banton caught by George Garton, but it was only a brief pause. Kamindu Mendis (10* off 7) finished the job with a six off Stone, sealing the win in 13.5 overs.Sent in to bat first, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders started aggressively through Phil Salt (17 off 9) and Alex Hales (6 off 8), but the momentum faded quickly. Romario Shepherd removed Salt, Farooqi dismissed Hales, and ADKR slipped to 37/2 by the end of the Powerplay. McMullen (15 off 19) managed a lone six before being stumped, while Alishan Sharafu (38 off 34) tried to keep the innings steady amid the fall of wickets.Mendis tightened the grip further, removing Liam Livingstone (2 off 6). Sherfane Rutherford (7 off 8) showed brief intent with a four off Mendis but edged behind to Pooran in the same over, piling on the pressure.Sunil Narine (26 off 20) then provided a spark, adding a brisk 36-run stand off 22 balls with Sharafu to revive ADKR’s hopes. But just as momentum returned, Sharafu fell to Rashid Khan, and skipper Jason Holder (2 off 5) soon departed to Farooqi as well.Narine kept fighting, but another attempted big shot off Zahoor Khan went straight to Mendis. Farooqi then delivered the final blows in the 20th over, removing Khary Pierre (1 off 2) and Ajay Kumar (0 off 2), as MI Emirates bowled out ADKR for 122 in 19.3 overs.

Abu Dhabi (Sports News): The Desert Vipers were the victors in yet another thrilling clash, beating MI Emirates by one run at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. The win, which went down to the last ball, was the Vipers’ fourth-straight triumph of the DP World ILT20 Season 4. The Vipers consolidated their position as the table-toppers with eight points to their name.  Defending 159, the Vipers initially struggled to take wickets. The game turned in the 19th over, when David Payne — who finished with 4 for 29 — claimed three crucial scalps. UAE’s Khuzaima Tanveer was also impressive with 2 for 34, as the Vipers showed their composure once again.  In the second innings, MI Emirates lost an early wicket when Tanveer dismissed Jonny Bairstow (8 off 7) in the second over. It was Muhammad Waseem (24 0ff 21) and Tom Banton (34 off 29) who steered the MI Emirates through the powerplay with the score at 49/1.They erected a 42-run stand in 31 balls before Tanveer struck again in his second spell of the night to remove Waseem. Banton looked in complete control when Nicholas Pooran (31 off 29) joined him in the middle. The duo looked settled, completing another 42-run partnership, this time in 40 balls. However, Sam Curran sent Pooran back in the 14th over with 62 needed off 36 balls. Banton followed in the next over as Payne bagged his first wicket of the night, bringing the score to 105/4. Tajinder Singh (17 off 7) hit Sam Curran for a couple of sixes that brought MI Emirates ahead of the equation with a 20-run over. Lockie Ferguson then ended Tajinder’s stay at the crease with his first wicket of the match in the 18th over. Another twist in the penultimate over saw Payne turn the match on its head. First, he got Romario Shepherd (1 off 4), followed by the wicket of skipper Kieron Pollard (23 off 13), who looked in good nick. Chris Woakes (0 off 2) followed in the final ball, meaning that MI Emirates needed 16 runs in six balls to secure the victory.  Rashid Khan (13* off 8) could have been the match-winner, hitting a six and a four in the final over, but the MI Emirates couldn’t find the two runs needed on the last ball. Batting first, the Vipers started on a promising note, led by Fakhar Zaman (35 off 31). By the end of the powerplay, the Vipers were 51/0, threatening to make their way to a big score. After Andries Gous (21 off 15) retired-hurt, Zaman combined with Max Holden (42 off 37) for a 51-run stand in 37 balls. Allah Ghazanfar then got the breakthrough when Zaman holed out to Tom Banton. Following his wicket, the bowlers kept the pressure on the Vipers, ensuring that boundaries were scarce. Shimron Hetmyer (15 off 9) entered the fray after Holden retired-out and hit the first six of the innings in the 18th over. Soon after, Sam Curran (19 off 19) hit the ball straight into Tom Banton’s hands to give Ghazanfar his second wicket of the night. Dan Lawrence (15* off 8) also provided a key contribution towards the end while Hetmyer was scalped by Fazalhaq Farooqi in the final over of the innings as the Vipers finished at 159/4. 

Sharjah (Sports News): The MI Emirates suffered a late scare but eventually pulled through courtesy an impressive final over from Romario Shepherd as they secured a four-run win over the Sharjah Warriorz at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday. UAE star Mohammad Waseem was the highest run-getter for MI Emirates, scoring 39 runs in 29 balls, including two fours and as many sixes. However, it was Tom Banton (32 off 21) and Romario Shepherd, who smashed an unbeaten 31 off 10 balls, including one four and four sixes. This took the score to 185, ensuring that Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Sikander Raza’s half-centuries went in vain. With the ball, Adil Rashid took 3 for 32 for the Warriorz. Batting first, MI Emirates started on a cautious note, with Jonny Bairstow (37 off 24) hitting their first six of the innings only in the third over. That shot sparked a brief surge as they reached 49 without loss at the end of the powerplay, before Junaid Siddique made the breakthrough with the wicket of Bairstow in the next over.Waseem then took charge of the batting, rotating the strike and finding the odd boundary, but Adil Rashid turned the game on its head by dismissing Nicholas Pooran (5 off 12) and removing Waseem two balls later.At 119/3 after 15 overs, MI Emirates needed a strong finish. Banton joined the attack with a crucial 32 off 21 balls, including two fours and one six, anchoring the innings. Shakib Al Hasan (16 off 12) was retired out for skipper Kieron Pollard (4 off 2), while Banton fell soon after to give Rashid his third wicket of the night.Late fireworks came from USA’s Tajinder Singh (17 off 8), who struck Rashid for two sixes in his final over, before Maheesh Theekshana removed Pollard. Shepherd then powered the closing stages, smashing two sixes in the final over to lift MI Emirates to a competitive 185.The Warriorz started the second innings with a spring in their step. Johnson Charles (15 off 13) hit three fours, but Naveen-ul-Haq got the early breakthrough, and Shubham Ranjane (6 off 7) followed soon after, shifting momentum in MI Emirates’ favour. Tim David (13 off 7) hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for three consecutive fours but the Afghan bowler had the last laugh, rattling his stumps to reduce the Warriorz to 48/3 at the end of the powerplay.Kohler-Cadmore then found support from the experienced Raza. The Zimbabwean played the role of the aggressor, finding the regular boundary but also rotating the strike in an able fashion. He backed up his batting with a well-earned half century off just 26 balls, completing the achievement with a six off Shepherd’s bowling. The duo shared a 103-run stand in just 59 balls before Allah Ghazanfar provided the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Raza. He then struck again with the very next delivery to bowl Dwaine Pretorius, sealing a two-wicket maiden and giving the MI Emirates a crucial lifeline.Kohler-Cadmore also reached his half-century in 40 balls, but the pressure was on the Warriorz, who needed 21 runs in in final two overs. Kohler-Cadmore followed in the next over off Zahoor Khan’s bowling, putting the onus on MI Emirates. Shepherd then closed out the game in the final over with some brilliant death bowling, securing their first win of the season.Brief Scores;MI Emirates 185/8 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 39, Jonny Bairstow 37, Adil Rashid 3 for 32, Tim Southee 1 for 26)Sharjah Warriorz 181/7 (Sikander Raza 64, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 51, Allah Ghazanfar 2 for 21, Naveen-ul-Haq 2 for 29)

Dubai (Sports News): Another fiery half-century from Pathum Nissanka scripted the Gulf Giants four-wicket victory over the Dubai Capitals at the DP World ILT20 Season 4. Nissanka (67 off 31) joined James Vince (50* off 45) in a match-winning partnership of 97 runs in 60 balls to chase down the target of 161 for a second consecutive win. Nissanka thumped six four and five sixes as the Gulf Giants moved to the top of the points table.Earlier, Azmatullah Omarzai led the charge with the ball, returning figures of 3/46 to restrict the Capitals to a competitive total. While several Capitals batters got starts, it was skipper Dasun Shanaka (23* off 9) lifted the tempo at the death with a late flurry.Despite losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz (9 off 6) early, the Giants’ reply gathered momentum quickly. Nissanka took aim at James Neesham in the fourth over, hammering three sixes and a boundary as the Giants motored to 60/1 at the end of the powerplay.While Vince played the quieter knock, Nissanka raced to a 23-ball half-century with five fours and four sixes.The momentum halted briefly when the Giants lost two wickets in consecutive overs. Mustafizur Rahman picked up his second wicket of the night, to account for Nissanka in the 12th over. Shanaka scalped Moeen Ali soon after leaving the Giants at 112/3.Omarzai (14 off 12) and Tom Moores (13 off 8) made handy contributions as Vince completed a 45-ball half-century and took the Giants home in 18.5 overs.In the first innings, Azmatullah Omarzai struck early to remove Shayan Jahangir (12 off 11) in the second over but Opener Sediqullah Atal (35 off 25) and David Willey (29 off 28) put on a crucial stand of 61 runs for the second wicket. Sediqullah’s innings saw two fours and two sixes until he was removed by Moeen Ali in the 10th over to leave the Capitals at 75/2.Willey and Gulbadin Naib (10 off 15) went in quick succession, with Liam Dawson dismissing Willey and Aayan Afzal Khan scalping Naib in the 14th over. The Capitals innings had faltered between the 10th and 14th over, only managing 18 runs during the phase.Jordan Cox (31 off 17) and James Neesham (16* off 13) energised the innings with a rapid partnership of 41 runs in 22 balls.Cox was looking dangerous with two fours and two sixes under his belt, but Omarzai returned to pick up the wickets of Cox and Rovman Powell (0 off 2) in the 18th over. Omarzai finished as the leading wicket taker with figures of 3/46, also leading the race for the White Belt (Best bowler/most wickets). Skipper Dasun Shanaka (23* off 9) finished the innings with two consecutive sixes in a 19-run over.Gulf Giants captain, Moeen Ali said:“The fact that we got the points, and we feel we can play better is a good thing. We squeezed them with the ball in the middle overs. Nissanka is a brilliant player and one of the top players in every format. Vince is also a quality player. He just did the job and played the situation well.”Reflecting on the loss, captain of the Dubai Capitals, Dasun Shanaka said:“Nissanka’s in the form of his life. He's amazing because he is so small, and yet he hits the ball so far. He's going to give trouble to a lot of teams in this tournament. We could have shown a little more intent with the bat in that middle period. We didn't try to find the gaps; rather than waiting to hit the long ball, we needed to rotate the strike. Rovman Powell and I probably could have gone a bit earlier, and we might get this right in the next game."

Farhan smashes 80 off 45 balls, Mohammad Nawaz snares 3 batters for 16 runs Abdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: A couple of notable performances, Sahibzada Farhan (80 not out off 45 balls) and Mohammad Nawaz (3 for 16), guided Green Shirts to post a big triumph against Sri Lanka in the 3rd game of the T20 Tri-Nation Series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.Hosts opening batters Sahibzada and Saim Ayub (20, 18b, 4x4s) provided their team a blistering 47-run stand in five overs before the latter departed. Saim also became just the ninth Pakistan batter to cross the 1,000 T20I runs landmark during the outing. Sahibzada then stitched a 69-run second-wicket stand with Babar Azam (16, 22b, 1x6) in which he contributed 53 runs also bringing up his sixth T20I half-century off 33 balls.With Dushmantha Chameera striking twice on consecutive balls, Sahibzada kept his charge going and ended hit the winning runs in style with a boundary in the 16th over. The right-handed opening batter struck six fours and five sixes also becoming the Pakistan batter to hit 100 or more sixes in T20s in a year.Earlier, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start with Kamil Mishara hitting two fours and as many sixes before departing in the fourth over with 32 runs on the board. Pakistan further dented Sri Lanka’s progress in the subsequent when Mohammad Wasim Jnr’s brilliant throw from third run out Kusal Mendis.Sri Lanka’s score of 65-3 at the halfway mark turned to 78-5 in the 12th over, when player of the match Mohammad Nawaz removed Kusal Perera (25, 19b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Dasun Shanaka on consecutive deliveries. Nawaz returned to remove Kamindu Mendis in the 14th over as Sri Lanka slipped to 86-6.Janith Liyanage, who top scored for Sri Lanka with 41 off 38 balls hitting three fours and one six, then formed a 31-ball 35-run seventh-wicket stand with Wanindu Hasaranga (11, 12b, 1x4) as they posted a fighting 128-7 in 20 overs. Apart from Nawaz’s 3-16 in four overs, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed struck once each.Scores in brief:3rd T20I – Tri-nation series – Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets at Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumSri Lanka 128-7, 20 overs (Janith Liyanage 41 not out, Kusal Perera 25, Kamil Mishara 22; Mohammad Nawaz 3-16)Pakistan 131-3, 15.3 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 80 not out, Saim Ayub 20; Dushmantha Chameera 2-29)Series schedule:18 November – First T20I – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by five wickets20 November – Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs22 November – Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets23 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe25 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka29 November – Final 

Dubai (SBR): West Indies’ Andre Fletcher capped a day of high-stakes drama at the first-ever DP World ILT20 Player Auction, emerging as the most expensive player with a whopping price tag of USD 260,000. MI Emirates outbid rivals to secure the explosive batter for a fourth consecutive season with the franchise. Close behind was England’s Scott Currie, snapped up by Dubai Capitals for USD 250,000. England’s Liam Dawson led the pack amongst the pacers acquired for USD 170,000 by Gulf Giants while Naveen-ul-Haq was acquired for USD 100,000 by the MI Emirates. UAE pacers were the flavour of the auction, with Junaid Siddique going to Sharjah Warriorz for USD 170,000 (Right-to-Match), making him their most expensive buy. Muhammad Rohid also drew a six-figure deal, going to MI Emirates for USD 140,000 (Right-to-Match), marking a massive milestone for UAE cricket. Notably some of the standout performers from the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament also converted their success into franchise deals at the auction. UAE pacer Haider Razzaq, the leading wicket-taker in Sharjah Warriorz Development’s title-winning campaign earlier this year, was purchased by Gulf Giants for USD 50,000. Player of the Tournament, Sanjay Pahal, an all-rounder who impressed throughout, was retained by Desert Vipers for USD 10,000. Raees Ahmed, who was amongst the top three run-getters, went back to Sharjah Warriorz at his base price of USD 10,000. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders eagerly pursued Scotland’s Brandon McMullen for USD 110,000, while also picking up Michael Pepper and Unmukt Chand at their base price of USD 40,000, along with England’s George Garton for USD 10,000. Their Associate Nation pool was reinforced by Kuwait’s Adnan Idrees (USD 10,000), while the UAE core featured Ibrar Ahmad (USD 22,000, RTM), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000) and Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000). Desert Vipers acquired Pakistan stars Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah at their base price of USD 80,000 apiece, along with Afghanistan leggie Qais Ahmed (USD 40,000). They also secured Scotland’s Tom Bruce for USD 80,000 and brought in Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz at USD 40,000. Their Associate signings saw UAE keeper Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000) join Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), while Faisal Khan made history as the first Saudi Arabian player bought at the auction, picked up at his base price of USD 10,000. Dubai Capitals followed their big splash for the young Currie by opting for experience. Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and England’s Tymal Mills were among their headline overseas pick at USD 80,000, while UAE’s Farhan Khan and Muhammad Farooq were secured for USD 10,000 each. To round out their haul, they added Kuwait’s Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000) and Saudi Arabia’s Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000). Gulf Giants spread their net wide and became the first team to complete their squad. The Giants snapped up South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi and Netherlands’ pacer Fred Klaassen for USD 40,000 each along with England’s Sean Dickson, landed at USD 10,000. The franchise also strengthened their bowling department through England’s Chris Wood and West Indies’ Ramon Simmonds with both pacers also coming in at USD 40,000 each. Their Associate Nation haul included Kuwait’s Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000) and Saudi Arabia’s Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), with UAE’s Asif Khan (USD 26,000) and Zuhaib Zubair ‘s USD 10,000 Right-to-Match adding to their UAE core. MI Emirates, alongside their record signing of Fletcher, added Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hassan for USD 40,000 and England all-rounder Jordan Thompson for USD 48,000. They further diversified with Associate Nations players such as USA’s Nosthush Kenjige, UAE’s Zahoor Khan, Kuwait’s Mohammad Shafiq and Saudi Arabia’s Zain ul Abidin, all at USD 10,000. Sharjah Warriorz roped in South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius at USD 120,000 and English leg-spinner Nathan Sowter for USD 100,000. They also locked in pacers Jayden Seales and Taskin Ahmed at USD 80,000 each. The Warriorz spent big on UAE’ s Wasim Akram, bagging the pacer for USD 55,000. Kuwait’s Mohamed Nawfer and Mohammed Aslam were picked up for USD 14,000 each while UAE’s Ethan D’Souza, Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava and USA’s Harmeet Singh also made their way to the Warriorz for USD 10,000. The DP World ILT20 Season 4 will begin on Tuesday, 2 December - UAE National Day (Eid-Al-Etihad), with the six-team, 34-match tournament set to conclude with the final on Sunday, 4 January 2026.   Complete Squad List Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Total Spent: USD 1,457,000)Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (USD 40,000), George Garton (USD 10,000), Brandon McMullen (USD 110,000), Ibrar Ahmed (USD 22,000), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad (USD 10,000), Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000), Mayank Chowdary (USD 10,000), Khary Pierre (USD 10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USD 10,000), Unmukt Chand (USD 40,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly Stone Desert Vipers (Total Spent: USD 1,617,500)Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Qais Ahmad (USD 40,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Faisal Khan (USD 10,000), Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000), Tom Bruce (USD 80,000), Matiullah Khan (USD 10,000), Tawanda Muyeye (USD 40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai (USD 10,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries Gous Dubai Capitals (Total Spent: USD 1,475,000)Auction Signings: Mohammad Farooq (USD 10,000), Tymal Mills (USD 80,000), Scott Currie (USD 250,000), Mohammad Nabi (USD 80,000), Farhan Khan (USD 10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000), Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi (USD 10,000), Shayan Jahangir (USD 10,000), Rushil Ugarkar (USD 10,000), Naveen Bidiasee (USD 10,000), Toby Albert (USD 10,000), Akshay Wakhare (USD 10,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy Neesham Gulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz MI Emirates (Total Spent: USD 1,868,000)Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu Mendis Sharjah Warriorz (Total Spent: USD 1,664,000)Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (USD 170,000), James Rew (USD 10,000), Nathan Sowter (USD 100,000), Dwaine Pretorius (USD 120,000), Jayden Seales (USD 80,000), Harmeet Singh (USD 10,000), Wasim Akram (USD 55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam (USD 14,000), Raees Ahmad (USD 10,000), Richard Ngarava (USD 10,000), Shubham Ranjane (USD 10,000), Ethan D’Souza (USD 10,000), Taskin Ahmed (USD 80,000), Abdul Salman Khan (USD 10,000) Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar 

Dubai (SBR): The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) today announced a strategic partnership with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF), under which SACF has sanctioned and licensed the DP World ILT20 as an official T20 league (men and women) to host matches within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of the forthcoming seasons.The milestone serves as another important step in DP World ILT20’s efforts to expand and enrich cricket across the Gulf region.Through this partnership the DP World ILT20 will work closely with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation and its commercial arm, the Cricket Investment Company (CIC), on developing cricket in the country besides identifying and nurturing talent. In another exciting development, Saudi Arabia players will also have a direct pathway into the DP World ILT20. Notably, the DP World ILT20 Season 4 Player Auction, scheduled for Wednesday, 1 October, will require each franchise to secure at least one player from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.In the coming years, DP World ILT20 matches will also be staged in Saudi Arabia. Chairman ILT20 Khalid Al Zarooni: “We are very proud to announce our partnership with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation. Saudi Arabia is a key part of the Gulf region, and its commitment to developing cricket is inspiring.“This partnership is built on our shared vision of growing the game beyond borders. The DP World ILT20 will create opportunities for players and hopefully bring world-class cricket closer to the fans.”Prince Saud Bin Mishal Al-Saud, Chairman of Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation (SACF): “We are proud to partner with the DP World ILT20. This collaboration reflects our commitment to developing cricket in the country and providing our players with opportunities to grow and succeed on an international stage. It also provides a platform for fan engagement within the Kingdom and opens up further avenues for developing the game across infrastructure and tourism.“With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 placing strong emphasis on sport and community engagement, we believe this partnership will inspire more young men and women to take up cricket and will play a vital role in the sport’s growth in the country as part of SACF’s strategy to enable the private sector within Saudi Arabia.“This partnership is of immense significance to both SACF and the DP World ILT20, as we jointly expand across borders and become a catalyst for the growth of cricket in the Gulf region.”David White, CEO DP World ILT20: “This is a significant step in our vision to grow the game across the Gulf region. We have seen first-hand how young players from the UAE, and the broader ecosystem, have benefited from the DP World ILT20 platform under world-class coaching and playing alongside international stars. With Saudi Arabia’s dynamic growth in sport and entertainment, this partnership provides a tremendous opportunity for Saudi cricketers to develop.”“In the coming years we will be hosting DP World ILT20 tournament matches in Saudi Arabia while from next year, a development tournament will also be staged there which will provide an excellent opportunity to the local talent to make a claim for the main event. The league will also help Saudi Arabia in cricketing infrastructure development.” The DP World ILT20 Season 4 will begin on Tuesday, 2 December - with the six-team, 34-match tournament set to conclude with the Final on Sunday, 4 January 2026.