West Indies opener Brandon King played a starring role to help the Rangpur Riders secure a narrow one-wicket victory over Fortune Barishal in Bangladesh Premier League action at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.

Fortune Barishal first made 151-9 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Kyle Mayers led the way with 46 batting at number three. The Bajan left-hander’s knock lasted 27 deliveries and included four fours and three sixes.

He was well supported by Captain Tamim Iqbal and Tom Banton who made 33 and 26, respectively.

Abu Hider was excellent with the ball for the Riders with figures of 5-12 from his four overs while Hasan Mahmud took 2-31 from his four overs.

The successful chase was then led by King who had his best score of the season so far with 45 off 22 balls including three fours and four sixes.

Coming into this game, King had scores of 0, 0, 1, 20, 14, 1 and 2 this BPL season.

Superstar all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan also contributed well for the winners with 29 while Jimmy Neesham made 28 against 3-24 off four overs from Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Mayers also completed a good all-round performance of his own with 2-31 from his four overs while Obed McCoy grabbed 3-34 from his four overs.

West Indies’ newly-minted star bowler, Guyanese Shamar Joseph and children in the east Berbice community of Baracara are set to benefit significantly from Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Co. Ltd. now that he has signed on to be the telecommunications provider’s brand ambassador, company officials said Friday.

GTT’s Chief Commercial Officer, Kerchelle Jn. Charles said, through the three-year agreement, Joseph would receive business mentorship and the children of Baracara, a community on the Canje River, would be supported in their sport and educational pursuits.

She said GTT would assist in supplying cricket gear to the students.

“We’ve seen the school, we understand the needs. We see them playing a lot of cricket so we want to help them with cricket gear, the students with school books, uniforms. You know, the necessities of schools we will support,” she said.

The GTT official said a business mentor would be assigned to the cricketer to support his ambition of becoming a businessman.

“We want to be able to help him with mentorship in business and in growth for him as a person so it’s very mutual. It’s not all about GTT. It’s a lot about Shamar as well,” she added.

The telecoms provider declined to disclose the value of the brand ambassador deal, only saying that the cricketer’s legal team and himself have approved it.

Joseph, who has hauled 13 test wickets from two Test matches, rose to international fame after he led the West Indies to its first test victory against Australia in 27 years with 7-68 in the second innings of the second Test in Brisbane in January.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GTT, Richard Stanton announced that, in conjunction with WANSAT, that high speed “quality internet solution” has been installed at Baracara.

“Shamar’s speed and accuracy with the cricket ball absolutely aligns with our values of being the fastest and the most reliable player in the game,” he said.

For his part, the West Indies pace bowler remarked that he has always been a GTT customer.

“From the moment that I started to use a phone, GTT was always my thing so I’m happy to be part of the family.”

A miserly spell of bowling from Sunil Narine was not enough to prevent the Comilla Victorians from going down by 12 runs to the Sylhet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League on Monday.

Narine starred with 2-16 from his four overs to help the Victorians restrict the Sixers to 177-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

Rishad Hossain also took a pair of wickets for the Victorians but was expensive, going for 37 in his three overs.

English all-rounder Benny Howell led the way for Sylhet with a 31-ball 62 including six fours and four sixes while the hard-hitting Kennar Lewis made 33 off 25 balls at the top of the innings.

Then, despite 85 from Captain and wicket-keeper Litton Das, the Victorians were held to 165-6 off their 20 overs.

Andre Russell also tried his best with 23 off 14 balls but a crucial spell of bowling from Tanzim Hasan Sakib was too much for Comilla to overcome in the end.

He was relatively expensive, going for 33 in three overs, but took three wickets in the process.

Samit Patel and Shafiqul Islam were more economical in their four-over spells, taking figures of 1-15 and 1-18, respectively.

Comilla still sits second in the points standings despite the loss with 14 points from 10 games while the Sixers are still sixth in the seven-team table with eight points from 11 outings.

England suffered a humbling defeat for the first time under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, swatted aside by 434 runs by India in Rajkot.

After falling 2-1 down in the five-Test series, there have been suggestions far and wide that England’s approach, dubbed ‘Bazball’ in a nod to McCullum’s nickname, needs to be refined.

Here, the PA news agency looks at whether England need to overhaul their philosophy.

What is Bazball?

The first thing to know is McCullum himself dislikes the word, which he feels oversimplifies what he and the rest of the backroom team are trying to do. Most cricket fans associate the term with an attacking style, especially when batting. But England and McCullum stress what they are trying to do is instil positivity and confidence into their players, taking the fear of doubt and failure away so they can achieve their maximum potential. The results have yielded 14 wins from 21 Tests after just a single victory in 17 previous attempts, while near enough every match has been a blockbuster occasion.

What’s the problem?

They are perhaps a little too impulsive and occasionally guilty of overlooking the match situation. In response to 445, England were on 224 for two inside 40 overs with Ben Duckett shellacking a depleted India attack – Ravichandran Ashwin briefly left the Test to tend to a family matter – to all parts. But the out-of-touch Joe Root took what seemed an unnecessary gamble in the first few minutes of day three with a reverse ramp, England collapsed to 319 all out and India never looked back. There was a near-identical missed chance against Australia at Lord’s last year which helped Pat Cummins’ side retain the Ashes. It appears England are not learning from their mistakes and harsh lessons have followed.

What has been the reaction?

England have come in for widespread criticism on social media. Ashes 2005-winning captain Michael Vaughan wrote on X that this latest setback should act as a “wake-up call”. Nasser Hussain, another former England skipper, said in the Daily Mail that “tweaks” to their philosophy should be considered, adding: “Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure.”

Will England pay any heed?

There is no need to chuck the baby out with the bathwater. It is worth remembering that India have not lost a Test series at home since 2012. The sides led by Sir Alastair Cook in 2016 and Joe Root in 2021 when arriving with more orthodox impulses had forgettable tours; indeed, England have arguably done better than the last two visits already. It was barely three weeks ago that England engineered one of the finest wins in their history in Hyderabad and it appears England fans may have to get used to taking the rough with the smooth. McCullum gave the strongest indication there would be no change of tack, saying: “The positivity and confidence within the environment needs to remain.”

So, more of the same, then?

On the surface, England present a bullish outlook with little regard for outside noise. It is telling that whoever speaks after play is adamant that England are happy to chase down any score in the fourth innings – they have been successful in eight of a dozen attempts. But all may not be as it seems, for after the Lord’s debacle last year, England knuckled down, struck the right balance and were the better team for the last three Tests. Conditions may be completely different now as was then but there is reason for hope as the sides head for Ranchi and the penultimate Test, starting on Friday.

Brendon McCullum insisted England’s best chance of turning the tide in India is to keep trusting in their methods as he resists calls to adapt despite a humbling defeat in Rajkot.

Michael Vaughan described a 434-run loss in the third Test – their heaviest since 1934 – as a “wake-up call” on X, while Nasser Hussain indicated in the Daily Mail that “tweaks” to the ‘Bazball’ approach are a must.

The suggestions of two former England captains are likely to fall on deaf ears as McCullum sticks to his guns despite going 2-1 down in a five-match series which resumes in Ranchi on Friday.

McCullum, who has won 14 of 21 Tests as England head coach after taking charge of a team triumphant in one of their preceding 17, accepts criticism will come his way but he and skipper Ben Stokes feel that putting limitations in place can only have a disruptive effect.

“The positivity and confidence within the environment needs to remain,” McCullum said. “If we do that we give ourselves the best opportunity with the talent we possess to bounce back.

“That messaging that comes from myself and the skipper will never change regardless of how we’re going. I don’t want our guys to ever doubt themselves otherwise we go back to where it was beforehand.

“When you start retreating a little bit on what you’ve done before and what you’ve said you’re trying to achieve, you’re literally living and dying every day by your results and that’s not what this team is about.

“This team is about trying to keep pushing the game forward, to try and entertain and ultimately win. It didn’t work this time around but you can only do that by providing an environment where the guys feel safe and feel they can take on the world.”

Joe Root spilled a catch in the first innings of the Test that would have left India 47 for four before they made 445 and was then out to a reverse ramp as England crumbled from 224 for two to 319 all out, with the tourists out of the game from that point on.

Root, left nursing a sore thumb that is not thought to be serious, is yet to reach 30 in this series, while fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow is also struggling, out for nought and four in recent days.

The pair average around 50 under Stokes and McCullum, with Bairstow setting the template for the era in the summer of 2022 with four hundreds in six Tests at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 96.59.

“Jonny’s not scored the volume of runs he would have wanted and a couple of times he’s got out kind of mildly for someone who’s got the power game he’s got,” McCullum said.

“I don’t have concerns over him. I’m not blind but he’s done so well for us. We know that a top-quality Jonny Bairstow is as good as anyone in any conditions so we’ve got to keep on giving him confidence and block out a lot of the external noise.

“Joe will be fine. It’s a great compliment to be in a funk after three Test matches. He just has to keep backing himself and wait for the luck to turn his way.

“The fact he’s missed out in three Tests, does that surely not just mean that he’s closer to getting a big score? It’s Joe Root, crikey. I mean, seriously? The law of averages suggests he’ll fill his boots in the next two Tests.”

Stokes has opened the door to resuming bowling competitively for the first time since last summer’s Ashes although McCullum admitted he may have a role to play in reining him in.

“Ben is clever,” McCullum added. “He won’t bowl unless he thinks he’s legitimately able to bowl. The problem would be if he starts getting into a spell and then he can’t get out of the spell.

“If he does get that bit between his teeth, let’s see where the danger lies and try and pull him away from it. But it’s good that he’s actually getting into a state where he thinks he might bowl.”

Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to leave the India team mid-Test and tend to an urgent family matter was the “absolutely right thing to do”, according to captain Rohit Sharma.

Ashwin’s withdrawal from the third Test against England in Rajkot after the second day’s play was down to a family medical emergency and left India effectively down to 10 players.

While India could use a substitute fielder the playing conditions prohibited a replacement, but despite the absence of a spinner with 500 Test wickets, the hosts moved into the ascendancy on day three.

Ashwin returned on Sunday and took the wicket of Tom Hartley in England’s second innings as India sealed a 434-run win – their biggest margin of victory in terms of runs – to go 2-1 up in the series.

“When you lose your most experienced bowler, especially in the middle of a Test match it is not easy,” Rohit said. “But everything was aside, family comes first.

“When we heard the news, there was no second thought in our mind. (We felt) he should do what he feels is right and obviously he wanted to be with the family which is an absolutely right thing to do.

“Good on him to make a way and come here and be part of the team on this day.

“It shows the character and shows the kind of person he is – wanting to put everything ahead for the team. We were happy to have him back.”

England’s defeat was their heaviest since 1934 and they were on course for one of their lowest totals after capitulating to 50 for seven before the last three wickets added 72.

While England subsided to their seventh lowest score against India, Rohit’s side sealed a memorable victory, having handed debuts to middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel.

Both rookies made an impression as did 22-year-old opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his second successive double hundred in his seventh Test, and Kuldeep Yadav, who took four wickets in his 10th appearance in this format.

“It’s a big victory,” Rohit added.

“Obviously it’s a very good feeling to win a game like that and especially with such a young team as well.

“A lot of credit to these young boys who have come in and shown a lot of character. It looks like they belong here, and they actually want to stay here as well. It is quite satisfying when you win a Test match like that.”

Captain Ben Stokes said England still have a “great chance” to win the Test series against India despite their crushing 434-run defeat in Rajkot.

England collapsed to their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs since the Second World War to go 2-1 down in the five-match series.

Another blockbuster double century from Yashasvi Jaiswal set England a world record target of 557 to win the third Test.

Jaiswal, who made 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out, equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings with a dozen in his unbeaten 214 to underpin India’s 430 for four declared.

England never threatened to achieve the unthinkable as India’s attack – latterly bolstered by the return of Ravichandran Ashwin following his departure due to a family medical emergency – tore through the tourists’ beleaguered line-up.

“It doesn’t always work out how you want, but we still have a great chance to win the trophy 3-2,” Stokes told TNT Sports.

“We leave this game behind us, just as we did with the first two matches, and we know we have to win the next two games to take the series.”

Ravindra Jadeja led the way with five for 41 as Stokes’ side were skittled in 39.4 overs.

Stokes was asked if England’s aggressive style could be perceived as reckless.

“Everyone has a perception and an opinion about things but the opinions of the people in the dressing room are the only one that matters to us,” the England skipper continued.

“We know that things don’t always work out how you want them to.

“Ben Duckett (153) played an unbelievable first innings and that was the tone we wanted to set throughout and it was about identifying that opportunity to push the scoreboard on and get as close as we could do to India’s total.

“I wanted us to be bowling yesterday, even though it came earlier than we expected, because of how we felt the wicket was going. We wanted to push the game on as much as we possibly could, but sometimes gameplans don’t work out and that is sport sometimes.”

England were chastened as never before in the Bazball era, all out for a meek 122 to collapse to their heaviest Test defeat in terms of runs since the Second World War.

Yashasvi Jaiswal followed up his 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out with 214 not out in Rajkot as India became the first side to declare against England under the axis of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

After India amassed 430 for four to set a world-record 557 to win the third Test, England never looked like living up to their billing as happy hunters and were skittled in 39.4 overs to lose by a whopping 434 runs.

Only once before have England been hammered by a wider margin – against Australia by 562 runs in a timeless Test in 1934 – while they were spared total embarrassment by the last three wickets adding 72.

England were chastened as never before in the Bazball era following another blockbuster double century from Yashasvi Jaiswal as they were set a world record 557 to win the third Test.

Jaiswal, who made 209 in Visakhapatnam last time out, equalled the record for the most sixes in an innings with a dozen in his unbeaten 214 to underpin India’s 430 for four declared in Rajkot.

England then lost both openers on the stroke of tea, ending a grim session on 18 for two in sapping conditions, as India took a giant stride towards moving 2-1 up in the five-match series.

Ben Stokes and England’s bowlers were powerless to stop Jaiswal, who crashed James Anderson for three successive sixes at one stage and shared an unbroken 172 in 158 balls alongside Sarfaraz Khan (68no).

Anderson leaked 78 from 13 wicketless overs, the first time he has gone at or more than a run-a-ball in several years, while Joe Root and Rehan Ahmed conceded over 100 runs with economy rates exceeding four.

This marked the first time under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum’s stewardship that an opposing team had declared against England.

Ben Duckett said the previous evening India “can have as many as they want and we’ll go and get them” but India are set to be boosted by the reintroduction of Ravichandran Ashwin on the penultimate day.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

Even before he had taken the field, Duckett ran himself out before Zak Crawley was given lbw off Jasprit Bumrah, the decision staying with the on-field umpire as the ball would have flicked leg stump.

Jaiswal made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav added 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Mumbai mates Jaiswal and Sarfaraz, two of India’s big-hitters with a licence to throw caution to the wind and the pair accelerated sharply either side of lunch.

It was especially brutal in the first hour of the afternoon as 98 runs were added. Anderson attempted to frustrate Jaiswal by initially bowling wider but after going straighter the 41-year-old was flicked over long leg, carved over deep extra cover then driven back over his head for three sixes in a row.

Anderson, who has only gone at six an over on only a handful of occasions and not since December 2006 when he has sent down more than 10 deliveries in an innings, was hooked for Root soon after.

Root put down a difficult return catch when Sarfaraz was on 37 – the Yorkshireman’s second drop of the Test, although this was not as important as his first-day spill of Rohit, which cost 104 runs.

Sarfaraz went on to record an almost understated 50, the debutant’s second of the Test, with the crowd’s energy firmly fixed on Jaiswal.

He pushed Root into the off-side for a single, spreading his arms aloft before taking off his helmet and leaping and punching the air before soaking up the acclaim and sharing a handshake with Stokes.

Jaiswal was denied the chance to set the record for the most sixes in an innings, he is joint with Pakistan great Wasim Akram on 12, as Rohit called in his batters.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the fold for India against England on the penultimate day of the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s withdrawal from the Test on Friday evening to tend to a family medical emergency effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball.

But the spinning great will take India back up to their full complement at some point on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately as they look to move into a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

A statement from Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said: “Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on day four.

“The team management, players, media and fans have shown immense understanding and empathy, acknowledging the importance of family as a priority.

“The team and its supporters have stood united in support of Ashwin during this challenging period, and the management is delighted to welcome him back to the field.

“Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times.”

Ashwin celebrated his 500th Test wicket just a few hours before pulling out and heading “to Chennai to be with his mother”, according to BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla on X.

Despite India being a bowler down in his absence, England threw away a promising position of 224 for two as they were all out for 319 and a deficit of 126 after the first innings.

India have since swelled their advantage and Ashwin’s impending return will aid their cause when England go off in pursuit of what would be a world record chase in the fourth innings.

England were powerless to stop India from upping their lead past 400 and Ravichandran Ashwin’s impending return to the third Test is set to add an extra layer of difficulty to the tourists’ hopes.

India reached lunch on 314 for four as they stretched an overnight lead of 322 to 440 on the penultimate day in Rajkot, with England seemingly running out of ideas underneath the baking sun.

The hosts are likely to declare at some point in the afternoon as they push to go 2-1 ahead in the five-match series and their bid will be boosted by Ashwin coming back into the fold at some point.

Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, pulled out of the Test on Friday night to tend to a family medical emergency but it was announced he will return on Sunday afternoon and be available immediately.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse meant they had a first-innings deficit of 126.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then made 104 before retiring hurt on the third evening although he was back in situ after England made their only breakthrough of the first hour when Shubman Gill was run out for 91.

Gill set off from the non-striker’s end only to be sent back by nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav and not even a desperate dive was enough as Tom Hartley whipped off the bails following Ben Stokes’ sharp throw.

Up until that moment on the stroke of drinks, it had been a frustrating morning for England, underscored by a failure to review a leg-before off Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed a sweep off Hartley.

England were down to just one review, having already spurned a review on a tail-end batter averaging just 10 earlier in the session, but they have now missed three referrals in this Test.

The miss did not matter as Yadav failed to add to his 27 before edging Rehan Ahmed to Joe Root. There was no celebration and the umpires had to send the decision upstairs to confirm the dismissal.

That merely brought together Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, two of India’s bigger-hitters, and the pair looked utterly untroubled, each smashing Root over the leg-side boundary in a single over.

Jaiswal was on 149 not out at lunch with debutant Sarfaraz on an unbeaten 22 off just 23 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin is set to return to the fold for India against England in the third Test in Rajkot.

Ashwin withdrew from the Test just a few hours after taking his 500th wicket in the format on the second day to attend to a family medical emergency with India’s full blessing.

His absence effectively left India down to 10 players as he could only be replaced in the field and not with bat or ball although England’s batting collapse on Saturday meant the hosts gained the upper hand.

But a statement from Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s secretary, confirmed Ashwin would come back at some point on the penultimate day as Rohit Sharma’s side push to go 2-1 up in the series.

“Both R Ashwin and the team management are pleased to confirm that he will be back in action on day four and will continue to contribute towards the team’s cause,” the statement read.

“The team management, players, media and fans have shown immense understanding and empathy, acknowledging the importance of family as a priority.

“The team and its supporters have stood united in support of Ashwin during this challenging period, and the management is delighted to welcome him back to the field.

“Ashwin and his family kindly request privacy as they navigate through these challenging times.”

India pushed their lead to 372 after the first hour of play on day four, with England’s only moment of success arriving directly before the break in play when Shubman Gill was run out by Tom Hartley for 91.

Nightwatcher Kuldeep Yadav should have been leg-before two balls earlier after missing a sweep off slow left-armer Hartley but England elected against using their one remaining review.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes captain Rahkeem Cornwall spun a web around Guyana Harpy Eagles batsmen, as he snared 6-61 to lead his team to a handsome 273-run win over the defending champions in their West Indies Championship fixture at Warner Park on Saturday.

Along with Cornwall’s bowling masterclass, the Hurricanes victory was large in part to Mikyle Louis, who achieved the rare feat of scoring a century in both innings to put the game beyond the reach of the Harpy Eagles batsmen, who struggled throughout.

Louis, a St Kitts and Nevis native, scored 113 and 130 which propelled the Hurricanes to 352 and 295 respectively, after which Cornwall combined with Daniel Doram and Jeremiah Louis, to restrict Harpy Eagles to 188 and 186.

The burly Cornwall ended with match figures of 7-89, after taking 1-28 in the first innings, while Doram, who had 4-40 in the first innings, took 2-48 in the second to end with match figures of 6-88. Jeremiah Louis had match figures of 4-80, after taking 3-42 and 1-38 across both innings.

Scores: Leeward Islands Hurricanes 352 & 295; Guyana Harpy Eagles 188 & 186

Set a daunting 460 to win, Harpy Eagles resumed the final day from an overnight score of 67-1, with Raymond Perez and Tagenarine Chanderpaul seeking to push on in their 55-run second wicket stand. However, Chanderpaul only added seven to his overnight score of 40, while Perez added only three runs to his 20.

Though Kevlon Anderson (26), Kevin Sinclair (23) and Kemol Savory (24), offered little resistance, they found Cornwall and Doram too hot to handle.

Veerasammy Permaul tried to counterattack with a 29-ball 30, including two sixes, but he eventually went caught behind off Jeremiah Louis, before Cornwall and Doram wrapped things up with the wickets of Anthony Adams and Neiland Cadogan, both without scoring.

Captain Nicholas Pooran and Andre Fletcher both hit fifties to help the MI Emirates defeat the Dubai Capitals by 45 runs in the final of the IL T20 on Saturday.

After being put in to bat by the Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, MI piled up an intimidating 208-3 from their 20 overs.

Pooran, batting at number four, led the way with a 27-ball 57* including two fours and six sixes while Fletcher, who batted at three, provided excellent support with 53 off 37 balls including three fours and four sixes.

Openers Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera each had good contributions as well making 43 and 38, respectively.

Left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan was the Capitals best bowler on the day with 1-21 from his four overs.

The Capitals were then never able to recover from losing in form opener Leus du Plooy off just the second ball of the chase when he was trapped in front by Akeal Hosein.

Captain Sam Billings and Tom Banton tried their best with 40 and 35, respectively, but it proved to not be enough as Dubai were eventually restricted to 163-7 from their 20 overs.

Jason Holder made 24 while Rovman Powell made just eight.

Trent boult was excellent with the ball taking 2-20 from four overs while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth took 2-24 from his four overs.

Pooran was adjudged player of the match while Capitals all-rounder Sikandar Raza was named player of the tournament.

Full Scores: MI Emirates 208-3 off 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 57*, Andre Fletcher 53, Muhammad Waseem 43, Kusal Perera 38)

Dubai Capitals 163-7 off 20 overs (Sam Billings 40, Tom Banton 35, Trent Boult 2-20, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2-24)