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Dubai Capitals clinch maiden title at DP World ILT20 Season 3

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In a dramatic climax to DP World ILT20 Season 3, the Dubai Capitals overcame last season’s heartbreak to claim their maiden title with a four-wicket win over the Desert Vipers in Sunday’s final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Dubai Capitals took home the cash prize of USD 700,000 while the Desert Vipers were awarded USD 300,000. 

Chasing 189, Sikandar Raza provided the decisive late surge with a blistering 12-ball 34, sealing victory in the final over. Earlier, Rovman Powell’s 63 and Shai Hope’s composed 43 laid the foundation for the Capitals’ triumphant chase. 

For the Vipers, Max Holden’s innings of 76 runs weathered the loss of early wickets before Sam Curran took control of proceedings with an unbeaten half century, studded with five fours and three sixes. Azam Khan also stepped up on the occasion with a boundary laden cameo of 27 runs in the death overs. 

The Capitals’ run chase was derailed early in the innings. David Warner was out in the second over, dragging the ball onto his stumps to give David Payne an early breakthrough. Mohammad Amir then struck twice in quick succession, dismissing the in-form Gulbadin Naib and captain Sam Billings. At the end of the powerplay, the Capitals found themselves at 39/3, but they were in the fight as Shai Hope and Rovman Powell were in the middle. 

While Hope was the more cautious partner in the alliance, Powell struck two massive sixes to spur the recovery. Hope eventually stepped on the gas with a six off Nathan Sowter to bring up the 50-run partnership in 31 balls. 

At the end of 12 overs, the game was evenly poised with the Capital at 100/3, needing 90 runs in 48 balls. Curran cracked the 80-run partnership when he scalped Shai Hope, caught at deep mid wicket in the 14th over. Meanwhile, Powell completed a 30-ball half century. 

 The Capitals needed 65 runs in the final five overs and Powell and Dasun Shanaka each smoked a six off Curran in the 16th over to keep the Capitals in the reckoning. Shanaka powered his way to 21 runs in his first nine deliveries until he holed out to Dan Lawrence, off Payne in the next over. 

Nathan Sowter had conceded 13 runs in the 18th over, but he bounced back with the prized wicket of Rovman Powell for 63 runs in 38 balls. Earlier in the night, Powell benefited from a fortuitous no-ball when he was stumped by Azam Khan on two runs (it was only the Vipers’ third no ball of the season). 

 It was Sikandar Raza who scripted the finish for the Dubai Capitals. He struck three fours off Mohammad Amir in the penultimate over and began the 20th over with a six and a four to steer the Capitals to the title in 19.2 overs. The Capitals beat the Desert Vipers for a sixth consecutive time. 

 In the first innings, Obed McCoy gave the Capitals the early breakthrough, picking up both openers Alex Hales and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first five overs. However, Max Holden was in sublime form, striking nine glorious boundaries in the powerplay to steer the Vipers to 53/2 in six overs. 

Holden went on to bring up a 32-ball half century in the ninth over and received a reprieve on the next delivery as he was dropped at long-off by Rovman Powell.  Despite this close call, Holden continued to find regular boundaries. Dan Lawrence contributed 10 runs in a 41-run partnership with Holden, before he was eventually dismissed by UAE’s Haider Ali in the tenth over, leaving the score at 75 for 3. 

Curran joined Holden for a 47-run, fourth wicket partnership that cost 35 deliveries. The partnership was broken by Sikandar Raza when he dismissed Max Holden for 76 runs in 51 balls, in the 16th over. 

Azam Khan joined Sam Curran for the late innings fireworks, with a 67-run partnership in 29 balls. Curran crossed the fifty mark in 28 deliveries and remained unbeaten on 62 runs with five fours and three sixes. 

Meanwhile, Azam smashed three fours and a six for a 13-ball knock of 27 runs. He was run out on the last ball of the innings as the Vipers finished with a formidable total of 189/5 in 20 overs. 

Player of the Match, Rovman Powell said: “Credit to the guys in the dressing room, the message was to just stay calm. The competition has been silent for me, but today in the final I wanted to prove myself. In the final, big players stand up. I’m disappointed to get out but glad we got through.” 

Desert Vipers’ Sam Curran, who secured the Red Belt as the Most Valuable Player said: “ It was an amazing game and a small accolade (Red Belt), it is tough to take it when you lose. It is one of the most enjoyable teams I have been in my career. A thoroughly professional setup and hopefully one better next year. I knew lots of coaching staff and players, taking on those roles and being adaptable with the ball. The Capitals have had a few wins over us in the group stage. I thought we had a really good score on the board, but I was extremely proud of the team and the coaching staff. “ 

Shai Hope wins the Green Belt 

Adding to the excitement of a grand final and a new champion, the DP World ILT20’s signature awards that recognise outstanding individual performances saw Shai Hope walk away with the Green Belt (best batter), finishing the competition with 529 runs. MI Emirates’ Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed the White Belt (best bowler) for his 21 wickets in 11 innings. 

Sam Curran who finished the tournament with 387 runs in 12 innings and seven wickets, received the Red Belt as the most valuable player of the season, while MI Emirates’ Muhammad Waseem bagged the Blue Belt awarded to the best UAE players for a third consecutive season. 

Brief scores  

Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by four wickets. 

Desert Vipers 189/5 in 20 overs (Max Holden 76, Sam Curran 62 not out, Azam Khan 27, Obed McCoy 2 for 44, Haider Ali 1 for 6) 

Dubai Capitals 191/6 in 19.2 overs (Rovman Powell 63, Shai Hope 43, Sikandar Raza 34 not out, Dasun Shanaka 21, David Payne 2 for 28, Mohammad Amir 2 for 35) 

Player of the Match: Rovman Powell 

DP World ILT20 Season 3 belt winners: 

Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Curran, Dubai Capitals 

Green Belt (Best Batter) – Shai Hope, Dubai Capitals 

White Belt (Best Bowler) – Fazalhaq Farooqi, MI Emirates 

Blue Belt (Best UAE player) – Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates 

As a trainee reporter and creative lead, I focus on curating engaging content and managing the social media presence for the company. I aim to connect audiences with relevant, impactful news through multiple digital platforms.

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UAE teen prodigy Rouda Al Serkal ends Norway Chess Open debut on a high

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UAE’s rising chess sensation Rouda Al Serkal wrapped up her debut at the Norway Chess Open in style, clinching three consecutive victories to finish strong in the prestigious General Masters (GM) category in Stavanger.

The 15-year-old, who turns 16 next month, demonstrated resilience and maturity beyond her years as she battled through nine intense rounds, ultimately scoring 4 points in a field stacked with seasoned international players.

Despite a rocky start that included several early losses, Rouda’s final flourish, back-to-back wins over opponents from Norway, Italy, and France, underscored both her talent and fighting spirit.

“It was a learning experience more than anything else,” Rouda said. “I’m proud I stayed with it. Ending with three wins felt special. I feel like I’m leaving stronger than I arrived, even though I know I could have done much better.”

Tough Start, Strong Finish

Coming off a strong showing at the Asian Individual Women’s Championship in Al Ain and a productive training block, Rouda entered the tournament with high hopes. But her opening round on May 26 against Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin – one of the top seeds – ended in a tough 56-move loss.

“That first game hit me hard,” Rouda admitted. “It’s difficult to lose after such a long fight, especially in the very first round. I was disappointed, but I knew I had to regroup quickly.”

A draw with American player Luke Leon Robin Anatol followed, but another frustrating loss in round three to Spain’s Lucia Follana Albelda left the young Emirati visibly deflated. “That one stung. I had her in my grasp after opening with the Caro-Kann advanced variation, but let it slip away,” she said.

Two more challenging rounds followed – a draw against Mexico’s Jan Enrique Zepeda Berlanga and losses to Norwegian players Ask Amundsen and Astor Moe Maurstad – further testing her resolve.

Comeback Kid

But the turning point came in round seven, when Rouda picked up her first win of the tournament against Norway’s Sigur H. Myny while playing white.

“Eventually, I just found my footing,” she said. “I stopped overthinking, focused on the basics, and trusted my training.”

From there, she built momentum, defeating Italian Mauro Pivi on May 30 and France’s Franck Gouanelle in the final round on June 1, sealing her third straight win.

Rouda, the UAE’s first Woman Grandmaster and a former World Youth Champion, finished with three wins, two draws, and four losses. While she narrowly missed her target of gaining 100 rating points, she impressed observers with her adaptability and determination.

“Most of the games I lost, I was either winning or had a clear advantage. That’s what frustrated me the most,” she said.

A Milestone Moment for UAE Chess

As the first Emirati woman to compete in the GM category of the Norway Chess Open, Rouda’s participation was historic in itself. Her gritty comeback only added to the significance.

Tournament founder Kjell Madland praised her spirited performance. “It is exactly this kind of story that reinforces Norway Chess as a truly global platform,” he said. “To have young talents like Rouda travel from the UAE to compete at this level adds richness and reach to what we’re building here in Stavanger.”

Norway Chess Supertournament: Carlsen and Humpy in the Mix

Meanwhile, in the elite Norway Chess supertournament taking place at the SpareBank 1 SR-Bank venue, world number one Magnus Carlsen remains in close contention for the men’s title, while India’s two-time Women’s World Rapid Champion Koneru Humpy is among the frontrunners in the women’s event. Final rounds continue later this week.

Meanwhile, World Champion D. Gukesh from India beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen from Norway for the first time in classical chess with a stunning endgame turnaround to close in on the leaders, and have a genuine chance of winning the tournament with four rounds left to play.

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CHESS STARS TURN COWBOYS FOR A DAY AT NORWAY CHESS GAMES 2025

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In a dramatic twist from the chessboard to the Wild West, the world’s top chess players swapped pawns for pistols, sieves, and lassos in this year’s edition of Norway Chess Games.

Held on a tournament rest day, the tradition of light-hearted competition continued in unforgettable fashion with the “Chess Cowboy Challenge”, a high-spirited showdown in Westernbyen, a Western-themed village in Ålgård, just outside Stavanger.

This year’s participants was -the star-studded lineup from Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh was unfortunately not able to join, and stepping in was Ella Carlsen, wife of Magnus, proving to be quite the sharpshooter in more ways than one.

Adopting their new Western personas, the players embraced the theme wholeheartedly:

Magnus “The Lone GOAT” Carlsen
Caruana “The Sicilian Sniper”
Hikaru “The Blitz Bandit” Nakamura
Arjun “No Slip” Erigaisi
Wei “The Quiet Storm” Yi
Gukesh “The Chennai Sharpshooter” D

Vaishali “The Rising Rider” Rameshbabu
Anna “Ice Veins” Muzychuk
Humpy “The Hammer” Koneru
Lei “The Lockdown” Tingjie
Ju “No-Loss” Wenjun
Ella Carlsen (stepping in as an honorary cowgirl)

With nicknames as fierce as their over-the-board styles, the competitors were more than ready to tackle the cowboy gauntlet ahead.

The Chess Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks. They faced the Sheriff’s memory test in a jail escape, sought enlightenment by solving the priest’s riddle in the chapel, mined for gold, and tried their hand at axe throwing beside the church. Air rifles, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes at the pleasure house, and classic horseshoe throws added to the flavor of the day, with real horses roaming the scene for that authentic atmosphere.

Each team, made up of one male and one female player, competed across all stations as they worked their way through the village.

Final Standings:

1st place: Magnus & Ella Carlsen — crowned Chess Sheriffs

2nd place: Hikaru Nakamura & Anna Muzychuk

3rd place: Fabiano Caruana & Vaishali Rameshbabu

4th place: Gukesh D & Ju Wenjun

5th place: Wei Yi & Lei Tingjie

6th place: Arjun Erigaisi & Humpy Koneru

About Norway Chess Games

Norway Chess Games is an annual tradition held during the tournament’s rest day. It gives the world’s best players a break from intense competition and a chance to connect in creative, unexpected ways. Previous editions have included:

  • Chess Chefs– a culinary battle where players cooked for top chefs
  • Cake Decorating Challenge– full of icing, sprinkles, and strategy
  • Farmer for a Day– featuring hand-milking cows and driving tractors
  • Design Your Own Knit Sweater– where players designed patterns later hand-knitted into real sweaters as unique keepsakes

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Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli invests in Dubai-founded World Bowling League to take the sport global

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India’s cricket superstar Virat Kohli has become an investor in the World Bowling League (WBL), a Dubai-founded initiative set to reinvent bowling as a fast-paced, global spectator sport.

Kohli joins Major League Baseball (MLB) icon Mookie Betts as a high-profile partner in the WBL, which was launched by Dubai-based entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra. The league is reimagining the traditional game with a dynamic format featuring mixed-gender teams, international tournaments, and a modern media-first approach aimed at younger audiences.

With franchises expected in Dubai and other global cities, the WBL plans to host 12 to 15 tournaments annually across the United States, Europe, and Asia, as part of its ambitious five-year growth plan.

“When I discovered Virat is also a bowler, it was exciting to align with this new-age vision for the sport,” said Mishra, founder and CEO of League Sports Co.

Kohli, one of the most followed athletes in the world on social media, revealed a long-standing personal connection to the sport.

“I started bowling when I was 11 years old,” Kohli said. “It’s clear how popular the sport is, yet it remains underappreciated as a business.”

The 36-year-old’s global influence and passion for sport are expected to significantly boost the league’s visibility and credibility as it enters its debut season. The WBL aims to position bowling not just as a recreational activity but as an engaging, competitive, and commercially viable sport with global appeal.

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