UAE - These two franchises had made history, playing the first-ever match of UAE’s brand new league — the DP World ILT20 — about a fortnight ago, but the result was the same.

On Monday, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Capitals came out trumps, winning it on a canter, by seven wickets, while the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders hurtled to another defeat.

The win kept Capitals in the hunt for the play-offs, while the Knight Riders are out of the reckoning.

Faced with a modest 150 to get, it could have turned out to be a banana peel for the Capitals, especially against a team still searching for that elusive first win. But they ensured that they didn’t slip up with the top order coming up with a measured chase to get the job done.

Openers George Munsey and Niroshan Dickwella set them on the road with a 59-run stand from just 37 balls.

After Dickwella had departed after a sublime 37 from 22 deliveries that had four boundaries and two sixes, Munsey and Dasun Shanaka took them closer to the target with a crucial 62-run alliance from 44 deliveries.

Although Shanaka (28) wasn’t there till the end to see the chase through, with his Sri Lankan compatriot Lahiru Kumara exacting revenge after being smashed for a six and a boundary off successive deliveries, captain Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza took them over the line.

Munsey fell with victory in sight, but the Scot had done his job, conjuring a well-crafted 57 from 43 deliveries that was embellished with six boundaries and a six.

Earlier, the Knight Riders had stuttered to 149-9 despite opener Joe Clarke cracking a 27-ball 52 that was studded with eight boundaries and two sixes.

Australian leg spinner Adam Zampa did the star turn to return with 3-16 while UAE pacers Akif Raja and Hazrat Luqman took two each.

(Joe Clarke 52, Sunil Narine 23; Adam Zampa 3-16, Akif Raja 2-23, Hazrat Luqman 2-41)

(George Munsey 57, Niroshan Dickwella 37, Dasun Shanaka 28, Rovman Powell 21 not out)

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