DUBAI—West Indies left-handed batsman Shimron Hetmyer led the way with a valuable 34 and shared a half-century stand with his captain James Vince, and Gulf Giants, through an exhibition of teamwork and resilience, fought to pull off a 19-run win against Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 on Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Hetmyer struck four fours from 28 balls, and he shared 51 for the fifth wicket stand with Englishman Vince, whose 32 from 28 balls also included four fours, and dragged the Giants to 126 for nine from their allocation of 20 overs on a slow Dubai International Cricket Stadium pitch after they were put in to bat.
UAE 18-year-old left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan then bagged two for eight from three overs at a crucial stage of the chase and Vince produced two of three run outs to further derail the Capitals and they were bowled out for 107 in 18.3 overs.
It was the fourth win for the Giants in eight matches, taking them to eight points, and third in the standings, while the Capitals dropped to fifth in the table on six points.
Capitals ended the Power Play on 48 for three after they lost their captain, former Australia opener David Warner for 11, Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 15, and Englishman Sam Billings for 12.
They slumped to 68 for four at the halfway stage after Gerhard Erasmus bowled Max Holden for seven in the seventh over, and four wickets—two to Aayan—fell for 18 in the span of 29 balls before the Capitals reached 100, and there was no comeback.
Giants too, struggled earlier and plunged to 30 for four at the close of the Power Play, but Hetmyer joined Vince and lifted them out of the danger with their partnership.
Hetmyer was fortunate on 23 when Zimbabwean spinner Sikandar Raza failed to hold a return catch, but Vince was unlucky when he fell caught and bowled to Pakistan left-arm spinner Haider Ali in the 11th over.
Giants struggled to 100, and they needed 24 not out off 12 balls that included one four and three sixes from left-handed all-rounder Dominic Drakes, son of former Barbados and West Indies all-rounder Vasbert Drakes, to get them to a respectable total.
English pacer Olly Stone ended with four for 14 from four overs, and New Zealander Scott Kuggeleijn finished with three for 29 from four overs. CMC
