DC VS SW MATCH 5

Right then, we are done with Match number 5 of ILT20 2024 and Desert Vipers remain the only winless team in the competition but they have played just one game so far. Next up is a derby clash between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and MI Emirates. That game will be played on Tuesday, 23 January in Abu Dhabi. That game will begin at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT) but you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up. Cheers!

Johnson Charles is the Player of the Match for his stellar knock. He says that coming from Sharjah, this surface was good with the bounce and the ball was coming well on the bat.  Adds that he just needs to keep it going. He says that once you get good in the Powerplay, it certainly becomes easier to bat at the latter half of the innings while chasing.

Sharjah Warriors skipper, Tom Kohler-Cadmore says that it is nice to get your first win out of the way and the way they got it done was brilliant to see. On Johnson Charles, he says that he and Sikandar Raza played a similar knock and they made the pitch seem a lot easier to bat on than it was and others contributed as well. Adds that they bowled pretty well and defended that short boundary nicely too and bowled well at the death as well. On Basil Hameed, he says that he got away the boundaries at crucial stages and this shows that they have match-winners in their squad.

David Warner, the captain of Dubai Capitals says that the toss is always a key component as the dew plays a huge role here. Adds that the bowlers changed their pace really well but they leaked runs from one end. Says that using spin from both ends was challenging with respect to the ground dimensions. Admits that they bowled poorly to Charles tonight. Further says that Sikandar Raza played really well today and was good with the bat and the ball as well. Ends up saying that they will come back stronger in the next game.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Tom Kohler-Cadmore won the toss and put Dubai Capitals into bat. David Warner struggled a lot on the crease and they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz early as well. The innings never kicked off in the first half but then came the stand crucial stand between Sikandar Raza and Sam Billings where the tables turned and the Capitals got back in the game. They lost wickets yet again at the death but managed to touch the 170-run mark. As for Sharjah Warriors, Chris Woakes and Maheesh Theekshana showed excellent control and picked up two wickets each but it was Daniel Sams who starred with three wickets. Coming to the chase, the Warriors' top-order fumbled but Johnson Charles stood tall and whacked his way to what turned out to be a match-winning knock.

Dubai Capitals will be fairly disappointed not just because they lost but in the manner they lost. Apart from Dushmantha Chameera no other bowler even troubled the opposition batters and all five wickets that fell went to Chameera including a direct-hit run-out. The likes of Kane Richardson and Jason Holder were hit away for plenty and the spinners couldn't do any damage either. What was peculiar was that David Warner didn't even bowl Akif Raja who was their leading wicket-taker last season and even bowled well in the previous game. Overall, it was a subdued performance and they suffered their first loss of the competition.

A thoroughly entertaining contest but Sharjah Warriors have got over the line and have picked up their first win of the competition as well. A deflated effort from Dubai Capitals on the whole and they have been trumped by some really attacking batting. The Warriors started off poorly, losing their super-sub Martin Guptill via a run-out and then skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore perished as well. They were 44/3 at one stage but Johnson Charles was going great guns and their run rate hovered over 10 runs an over. Lewis Gregory hung around for a bit as Charles kept on taking big chunks out of the required runs before eventually falling on a brilliant 93. Basil Hameed who started sluggishly, ended on a high along with Daniel Sams and they got the job done with an over and a ball remaining.

FOUR! And that is it. Inside edge but it helps Warriors to WIN! Just around off and full, Daniel Sams looks to drive very hard through the covers but catches an inside edge of his bat which bullets along the carpet to the third man fence for a winning boundary. Comprehensive win for the Sharjah Warriors over the Dubai Capitals by 5 wickets and seven balls to spare.

Back of a length outside off, Basil Hameed dabs it to deep point for another comfortable single. Kane Richardson hasn't got things right tonight.

On a length and outside off, Daniel Sams slaps it to extra covers for a single. Just 5 needed now.

Short and outside off, Basil Hameed opens the bat's face off the back foot and punches it to deep point for one.

SIX! Top edge but he gets plenty on it to clear the leg side. Bowls a full toss on middle, Basil Hameed looks to flick it over the leg side and ends up getting a thickish top edge on his waist height which flies over deep backward square leg for a maximum. They just need 7 now.

Dot ball to end the over. Shorter and at the off-pole, Daniel Sams is way too early on the swing and misses on the top edge. 13 needed of the last two overs.

WIDE Holder is unhappy with that. Follows the batter on his shuffle and bangs a slower bumper down leg, Daniel Sams shuffles to the leg side but the ball flies way down to the leg and through the keeper over his head. Wided.

Good running there. Lower full toss on offer on leg, Daniel Sams gets across and paddles it to the left of short fine leg for two.

FOUR! In the gap! Jason Holder follows Sams on his shuffle and bowls it short and around the middle and leg, Daniel Sams uses the height and pulls it in the gap between long on and mid-wicket for four more runs.