ILT20: Rovman Powell’s 96 powers Dubai Capitals to 83-run win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders | Cricket News – The Times of India

Rovman Powell (Pic credit: ILT20)

Rovman Powell produced one of the finest knocks of the ILT20 Season 4 as his unbeaten 96 propelled the Dubai Capitals to a massive 83-run victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The emphatic result also handed the Capitals their first win of the season, with a significant boost to their net run rate.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Put in to bat, Dubai overcame a jittery start thanks to a match-defining 119-run fourth-wicket stand between Powell and Jordan Cox. The pair rescued their side after early wickets left the Capitals struggling at 43/3 inside the powerplay. Powell blasted 96 off just 52 deliveries, hammering eight fours and four sixes, while Cox played the perfect supporting role with a composed 52 off 36 balls. Together, they transformed a slow surface into a platform for a strong total of 187.

Dubai’s innings came alive in the final over when Powell dismantled Andre Russell, smashing two sixes and two fours in four balls. Russell denied Powell a memorable hundred with two tight deliveries to finish the innings, but the damage was already done.In response, the Knight Riders folded under relentless pressure, crashing to 103 all out in just 15.3 overs. David Willey set the tone with wickets in the first over, removing Alex Hales and Alishan Sharafu. Mustafizur Rahman followed by dismissing Unmukt Chand for a golden duck, leaving Abu Dhabi reeling at 10/3.

Phil Salt’s fighting 27 briefly steadied the chase, while Andre Russell attempted a quick counterattack with two huge sixes. However, Afghanistan’s Waqar Salamkheil (4/29) and veteran all-rounder Mohammed Nabi (2/12) throttled the innings with tight spells, sparking a collapse. None of the lower-order batters could resist, as wickets tumbled in a desperate attempt to accelerate.Reflecting on his Player of the Match performance, Powell said: “They have two high quality spinners in Narine and Chawla. It was important when I went to bat that I fought them off. Cox was very, very helpful. We didn’t want Narine or Chawla to keep bowling at one player and that was the best way to bat against two world-class spinners like them.” Knight Riders captain Jason Holder admitted his side was outplayed: “We were probably just a few runs short in all three departments. We were a little bit untidy in our bowling phases. I thought Rovman Powell and Jordan Cox put together a really good partnership, which took the game away from us.”Brief Scores: