Half-centuries from Andre Fletcher and Nicholas Pooran spurred MI Emirates to a convincing eight-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals at Sharjah and a place in Qualifier 2 to face Gulf Giants on Friday.

Rovman Powell hit a magnificent 97 from 41 balls to lead the Dubai Capitals to a thrilling 16-run victory over the MI Emirates in a high-scoring match in the ILT20 League in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Powell, the Player of the Match, hit four fours and 10 sixes while powering Dubai Capitals for 222-3 from their 20 overs. Powell featured in a second-wicket partnership of 121 from just 57 balls with former England captain Joe Root, who scored 82 from 54 balls.

Root and Robin Uthappa had laid the foundation with an opening stand of 78 from 53 balls before the latter was dismissed for 26.

Powell was eventually dismissed by Kieron Pollard from the last ball of the innings, but the damage was already done.

Chasing the highest score in the tournament so far, MI Emirates lost three wickets for 26 runs early including that of Nicholas Pooran for a duck in the sixth over.

His dismissal brought together Pollard and Andre Fletcher and together that made things interesting for Dubai that came into the game on the back of three consecutive losses.

Together, Pollard and Fletcher went on the offensive smashing balls to all parts as they stitched together a stand of 118 with the Trinidadian scoring the bulk of those runs, 86 from 38 balls with eight fours and six sixes before he was dismissed by Powell in the 16^th over with his side still needing 79 from the last 24 balls.

Najibullah Zadran got them closer with a quickfire 30 from just nine balls but once he fell, yorked by Fred Klaasen in the 19^th over, the remaining runs proved elusive despite the best efforts of Fletcher, who remained unbeaten on 35 at the end with MI Emriates on 206-5.

West Indies All-rounder Rovman Powell starred to help the Dubai Capitals to a 73-run win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Friday’s opening match of the DP World ILT20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Capitals skipper Powell top scored with 48 while Indian Robin Uthappa got 43 to lead the team to a competitive 187-6 from their 20 overs.

Powell’s knock came off just 29 balls and included three fours and as many sixes while Uthappa’s innings lasted 33 deliveries with three fours and one less six.

Joe Root and Sikandar Raza also both chipped in with 26, respectively, against two wickets apiece from Ravi Rampaul (2-36 from four overs) and Ali khan (2-45 from three overs). Captain Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were the other wicket-takers.

Powell also produced the goods with the ball with 2-15 from two overs as the Knight Riders were reduced to just 114-9 off their 20 overs

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was also excellent with the ball conceding just 16 runs in four overs to go along with his two wickets.

Paul Stirling was the only Knight Riders batsman to produce any resistance with a 38-ball 54 including five fours and two sixes.