Shai Hope's rich vein of form continued on Sunday as his composed 74 not out off 53 balls powered the Dubai Capitals to an eight-wicket victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20 League. Chasing a formidable target of 204, Hope anchored the innings masterfully, forming a record-breaking 135-run partnership with Gulbadin Naib to seal the Capitals' triumph.
The Capitals were given a brisk start by Adam Rossington, who scored 21 off 13 balls before falling to Andre Russell. From there, Hope took control of the chase, expertly pacing his innings with nine boundaries and one six. He found the perfect partner in Naib, who blasted an unbeaten 80 off 44 deliveries, including six fours and five sixes, to dismantle the Knight Riders’ bowling attack.
Hope and Naib now own the record for DC's highest second-wicket partnership. (ILT20)
The duo’s 135-run partnership is now the highest for the second wicket in the Capitals' T20 history, surpassing the previous record of 114 set by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Their partnership ensured that the Capitals reached their target with an over to spare, finishing on 205 for 2 in 19 overs.
Earlier, the Knight Riders had posted an imposing 203 for 4 in their 20 overs, thanks to a brilliant knock from Charith Asalanka. The left-hander smashed 74 off just 38 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes to anchor the innings. Contributions from Kyle Mayers (35 off 21) and Andries Gous (27 off 17) provided the platform, while Alishan Sharafu’s quickfire 36 off 21 added late impetus.
However, the Knight Riders’ bowlers were unable to capitalize on their batting efforts. Despite the big total, their inability to pick up wickets in the middle overs allowed Hope and Naib to take the game away.
Knight Riders captain Sunil Narine admitted his team fell short with the ball. “We needed our batting to come up today, and it happened, but I don't think we did a fantastic job with the ball. If we are not picking up wickets, we are allowing the batting team to come into the game,” Narine said. He praised Asalanka’s effort but acknowledged the need for better execution in critical moments.