MI Emirates saved their best for the last, producing a brilliant all-round performance to beat Dubai Capitals by 45 runs in the final to win the ILT20 title on Saturday.
Skipper Nicholas Pooran (57 not out off 27 balls) led from the front as MI Emirates made 208 for three, recording the first 200-plus score in the second season of the tournament.
In reply, the Dubai Capitals were restricted to 163 for seven in 20 overs at a packed Dubai International Stadium.
Pooran was well-supported by fellow West Indian Andre Fletcher (53 off 37 balls) in their 56-run partnership for the third wicket.
The two explosive batters came up with a superb exhibition of stroke-play, hitting 10 sixes — four by Fletcher and six by Pooran — as they put the hapless Capitals bowlers to the sword.
But the MI Emirates would not have been able to become the first team to reach the magic 200 mark this season without the fantastic opening partnership between UAE batter Muhammad Waseem (43 off 24 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes) and Sri Lankan Kusal Perera (38 off 26 balls, 6 fours).
The two openers shared a 77-run opening partnership in just 6.4 overs, setting the platform for their middle-order batters to go for the kill.
Waseem, the Pakistan-born UAE captain, was especially impressive in the powerplay, playing some wonderful shots.
Such was his brilliance that even Perera, the Lankan stalwart, had to play second fiddle in their partnership.
In reply, the Capitals never took off, losing wickets regularly as they buckled under the pressure of chasing a big total in a tournament final.
Skipper Sam Billings (40 off 29 balls) and Tom Banton (35 off 20 balls) tried their best, but the experienced Mi Emirates attack never allowed them to make a comeback into the contest.
While New Zealand superstar Trent Boult (4-0-20-2) was outstanding with his left-arm pace, spinners Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (4-0-24-2) and Akeal Hosein (4-0-33-1) also struck at crucial blows to put their team in command.
The emphatic Mi Emirates win brought an end to the second season of the hugely successful ILT20, the UAE’s IPL-style franchise league.
Six teams fought for almost a month across 34 matches before Mi Emirates outplayed Dubai Capitals in the biggest match of the tournament as 25,000 people at the state-of-the-art Dubai International Stadium enjoyed the batting fireworks from Pooran, Fletcher and UAE’s very own Waseem.
Brief scores:
MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals by 45 runs.
MI Emirates 208 for 3 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 43, Kusal Perera 38, Andre Fletcher 53, Nicholas Pooran 57n.o) Dubai Capitals 163 for 7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 35, Sam Billings 40, Jason Holder 24, Trent Boult 2 for 20, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2 for 24)
Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran.