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10 best moments from the league stage of DP World ILT20 Season 2
As DP World ILT20 enters its final week, we take a look back at some of the most memorable moments from the 30-match league stage which offered some nail-biting action for global cricket fans.
1.Sikander Raza’s dramatic last ball six to win the match
Not many can boast of winning a match for their team with six runs required off the final ball. Dubai Capitals’ Sikander Raza missed the penultimate ball from Desert Vipers’ Ali Naseer when six was required off two balls for the Capitals in Match 27 to continue to have a chance of making it to the play-offs. With six runs needed on the final delivery and the fate of the team’s qualification chances on the line, there was immense pressure on Raza to come through for the Capitals and that is exactly what he did. Ali Naseer bowled a slower ball wide outside off stump, Raza deposited it over long-off and into the stands and celebrated ecstatically as he managed to keep the Capitals’ hopes alive.
2.Azam Khan’s fastest fifty of the tournament
Chasing a target of 161 against the Gulf Giants, the Desert Vipers lost two quick wickets and were placed at 79-3 when in walked Azam Khan. A six off his first ball was a sign of what was to come. Cheered on by a packed stadium in Dubai, Azam Khan tore into the Gulf Giants’ bowling striking five fours and four sixes on his way to reach his half-century in just 18 balls. He took a particular liking towards Carlos Brathwaite as he hit him for two fours and sixes each in the fifteenth over to do dent any hopes the Giants had of winning the game. The Vipers eventually won the game by six wickets
with 19 balls to spare.
3.Shah Rukh Khan’s presence adds to the glamour
Match 3 of the DP World ILT20 was not short of stardom with Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Alex Hales and Wanindu Hasaranga taking the field. However, the fans blew the roof off the stadium when they saw the presence of Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, in the stands. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders produced a clinical performance in front of their co-owner to win the match comfortably, much to his delight.
4.Oliver Stone’s dream debut
Match 24 saw Oliver Stone making his ILT20 debut for the Dubai Capitals and it was one to remember. Finishing with figures of 4 for 14 in his quota of four overs, Stone had the batters guessing throughout his spell. His first over in particular was fast bowling at its best as it had pace, swing and immaculate accuracy- the trifecta of fast bowling. Not only was it a maiden over but he also accounted for the wickets of Gulf Giants’ in-form batter Chris Lynn and Jordan Cox who was bowled by an absolute peach. He further went on to pick the wickets of Shimron Hetmyer and Jamie Overton to restrict them to 126-9.
5.Shaheen Afridi’s last ball finish with the bat
Reduced to 28-4 at one point while chasing 150 against a high-quality MI Emirates bowling attack, the Desert Vipers had a mountain to climb if they were to pull off a victory. Sherfane Rutherford (35), Wanindu Hasaranga (26) and Azam Khan (20) provided vital contributions to bring the equation down to 21 runs from 16 balls. But with just two wickets in hand, the MI Emirates looked like they would win the game. Shaheen Afridi, however, played a crucial unbeaten cameo of 17 runs from 12 balls that saw the Vipers over the line. Trent Boult had 10 runs to defend in the final over and three off the final ball. Shaheen Afridi struck the final ball over point and ran like his life depended on it. A dive in the end to complete the third run helped seal the victory for the Desert Vipers.
6.Ali Naseer’s blinder to get rid of Nicholas Pooran
In match 15, just as MI Emirates skipper Nicholas Pooran started to get going having struck a four and a six, Desert Vipers’ Ali Naseer took a blinder at short third man to send him back to the pavilion. Vipers’ fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana bowled a wide yorker to Pooran, who sliced it hoping to get four runs past Naseer. But Naseer flew to his left with both arms outstretched and plucked the ball out of thin air to take one of the best catches of the tournament and break the momentum Pooran was starting to generate for MI Emirates in the process.
7.Andre Russell smashes Jason Holder
In match 20, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ Andre Russell reminded everyone of why he is so feared especially in the death overs. Having Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at 112-7 at one point, the Dubai Capitals would have hoped to bowl them out for a low score but Andre Russell took matters into his own hands when he smashed 31 runs off Jason Holder in the 17th over to take the Knight Riders to 183 by the end of their 20th over in the company of player of the match David Willey. After a no ball on the first ball of the over, Russell left no part of the ground untouched as he struck Holder for two sixes, two fours and two doubles to completely shift the momentum of the game towards his team as they went on to win by 29 runs.
8.Adil Rashid announces arrival at ILT20
Sharjah Warriors’ Adil Rashid spun a web around the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Match 25 to have them all out for a paltry score of 94. Just his second game in the season, Rashid didn’t show any signs of rustiness as he ran through the Knight Riders’ top and middle order with his bag of tricks to register figures of 4 for 12 in his four overs including a maiden. He mixed his variations well with the batters unable to pick his leg spinners, googlies and sliders apart as he went on to bowl 14 dot balls in his destructive spell.
9.All-girls soft ball cricket
While large turnout for all the matches of this edition reflected the increasing following for this tournament, DP World ILT20 ensured the stage is used as a platform to get young kids attention towards cricket by hosting soft-ball matches for them ahead of the day’s play in each venue. In Dubai, an all-girls match too was held ahead of the day’s play at the ‘Ring of Fire’ Stadium, giving the budding cricketers a feel of the international stadium and an opportunity to play and meet their favourite stars.
10. Carnivals for a fun family outing
With the perfect weather setting the right ambience for outdoor activities, the league stage matches attracted fans, giving them and their families a wholesome experience with fan carnivals adding to the fun and fervour at all venues. Intricately planned with engaging activities on the side-lines of the matches with RJs and music bands getting the groove on – it was a memorable experience.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has inaugurated the landmark Dubai Reef project with the launch of the pilot reef modules.
A sustainable initiative by Dubai Can, Dubai Reef is the world’s largest marine reef development project and marks a pioneering step in Dubai’s efforts to promote ecological sustainability. Working around a plan to deploy 20,000 purpose-built reef modules of various sizes over a four-year period, Dubai Reef marks a significant endeavour for the city that will span a staggering 600 square kilometres across Dubai’s waters. The meticulously crafted design of the reef units will see them exceed 400,000 cubic metres in volume.
In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan and The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project is a city-wide collaboration uniting key partners to support the wider strategic goals and ambitions of Dubai and the UAE, including the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), the UAE’s Green Agenda – 2030, and the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy.
Sheikh Hamdan said: “The landmark Dubai Reef initiative is a testament to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Reef ecosystems are unique life sources and vital components in the protection of marine life. Dubai Can’s Dubai Reef project will inject vitality into our coastal waters and contribute to global conservation efforts. The project’s significant long-term environmental and socio-economic impacts will serve Dubai’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.”
With an initial proof of concept championed by His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani and contractors HaejooX in 2021, the first modules have now been activated as part of the Dubai Reef pilot project. Working alongside the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the newly formed Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA) will be a critical partner in ensuring successful project delivery. As Director General of DECCA, His Excellency Bin Thani will continue to play a key role in supporting the Dubai Reef project and further strengthen the emirate’s advocacy in the realm of environmental protection and climate action. DP World; Dubai Chambers; Nakheel; the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; and Emirates join DET as strategic partners in the Dubai Reef project.
His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, said: “Aligned with the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project showcases the emirate’s enduring commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation. This collaboration between public and private sector entities will see each partner bring their expertise to drive Dubai’s sustainable future and contribute towards achieving the ambitious goals set forth in the D33 Agenda.”
His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, Director General of DECCA, said: “The Dubai Reef project will provide diverse environments to attract and stimulate fish and marine life. In 2021, we partnered with leading reef developer HaejooX to launch a two-year proof of concept, analysing the effectiveness of purpose-built reefs in Dubai. The study used advanced technologies and utilised a three-dimensional scanning system to understand the quantities and types of fish present. Preliminary data showed an abundant expansion in marine life.”
The Dubai Reef initiative is a strategic investment set to leave a lasting legacy in terms of protecting marine life and environmental sustainability. The project’s key drivers include enhancing biodiversity, safeguarding Dubai’s coastal and marine habitats, supporting fish populations, and increasing ecosystem resilience. The project will also encourage environmental stewardship, strengthen socio-economic prosperity and ecotourism, and preserve Dubai’s marine heritage.
The project has won over renowned investor Ray Dalio who is involved in various philanthropic initiatives and takes a keen interest in ocean exploration and conservation. “I love this audacious Dubai Reef project because it will be a remarkable contribution to the world’s understanding of the benefits of ocean restoration and as well make the Dubai environment healthier and provide an incredible recreation park. Once again, Dubai is pursuing an ambitiously great project, this time under the visionary guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan. It is an amazing project in an amazing place under amazing leadership,” he said.
All fines for traffic violations committed by motorists during the recent record rains, on April 16, will be waived in Dubai, police announced.
Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, made the announcement on Wednesday.
The decision to waive the traffic violations reflects Dubai Police’s commitment to the community and to ensuring their safety, especially during exceptional circumstances.
Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan, had earlier approved a series of initiatives and measures to urgently mitigate the impact of the severe weather in the emirate.
After the heaviest rainfall the UAE experienced in 75 years Dubai Airports is making remarkable strides in restoring and normalising operations at Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said since yesterday, ahead of its recovery schedule, DXB returned to its normal flight schedule and is back to operating around 1,400 flight movements a day.
“With roads in and around the airport 100% clear of water accumulation, our manpower, logistics and facilities are operating as usual again. To have the airport back up and running is no small feat. 2,155 flights were cancelled and 115 were diverted. We had to work closely with our airline partners and service providers to rework schedules, boost manpower and look after all those who had been disrupted.
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“I’m continuously amazed with the unwavering dedication of our Dubai Airports employees, airline partners, government agencies, commercial partners and service partners. It has been the most challenging adverse weather event we’ve had to navigate, and our people and partners worked tirelessly to keep the operation running and to assist our guests.”
31 flights were diverted to Dubai World Central (DWC) and by 19 April, all guests at the airport were successfully supported and continued onwards to complete their travel plans.
Guest welfare remained a key priority throughout the disruption and although there were initial challenges in transporting supplies with road closures around DXB and DWC, over 75,000 food packs were delivered across both airports.
“While certain challenges remain, including processing the baggage backlog, we’re working closely with our service partners but know there’s still more work to be done and once again thank guests for their patience while we work through this,” added Mr. Griffiths.
“We’re deeply saddened by the ongoing impact of the heavy rainfall on affected communities and businesses across the UAE. We’re also supporting our own people who were badly affected by the weather and will continue to support wherever we can.”
As normal operations resume, guests should arrive at their terminal only three hours ahead of their flight departure time to avoid unnecessary congestion and facilitate smoother.
UAE stars from DP WORLD ILT20 help national side qualify for Asia Cup 2025
UAE waives all traffic violations for Omani citizens from 2018
