DUBAI: The third season of the DP World ILT20 got underway on Saturday with a nail-biting contest as the Dubai Capitals secured a one-run victory over MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium.

Stellar bowling performances from Gulbadin Naib and Olly Stone turned the tide in a match that saw Nicholas Pooran’s impressive 61-run innings go in vain.

The thrilling encounter marked the narrowest win margin in the tournament’s history, with MI Emirates falling short despite needing just 16 runs in 15 balls. Gulbadin Naib, who finished with figures of three wickets for 13 runs, and Olly Stone, who claimed two for 14, led the Capitals’ spirited defense.

Sent in to bat, the Dubai Capitals posted 133 for 8, recovering from a slow start thanks to Brandon McMullen’s crucial half-century of 58 runs off 42 balls.

Rovman Powell chipped in with a valuable 25 runs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout bowler for MI Emirates, delivering a stunning spell of five for 15.

In response, MI Emirates’ chase began disastrously, with Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher falling for ducks to Olly Stone. The team was reeling at 23/4 in just 4.3 overs. Captain Nicholas Pooran then mounted a rescue mission, supported by Akeal Hosein, as the duo stitched a 79-run partnership.

Pooran’s intent was clear as he smashed Sikandar Raza for six over mid-wicket and reached his half-century in 36 balls. However, his efforts were undone when Gulbadin Naib dismissed him with a clever slower ball, followed by the wicket of Alzarri Joseph in the same over.

With 13 runs needed off the final over, Kieron Pollard took charge but could only manage 11, handing the Capitals a dramatic last-ball victory.

Reflecting on the match, Player of the Match Gulbadin Naib said: “That is the beauty of cricket and T20. Not a good total on the board, but we defended it, with the guys giving 100 percent. The pitch was helping the bowlers a lot. Not easy for the batters. We just tried to keep it stump to stump, and we did it.”

BERLIN: A second-half penalty from Harry Kane gave Bayern Munich a 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, restoring their four-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on Friday drew them within a point of league leaders Bayern, who went into Saturday’s clash without the ill Jamal Musiala.
Musiala’s replacement, veteran Thomas Mueller, had an early chance midway through the first half but blasted at Gladbach goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas from point-blank range.
Gladbach were toothless in attack but frustrated Bayern, who were unable to turn their dominance into clear goalscoring chances.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Michael Olize was felled in the box by Gladbach’s Lukas Ullrich, bringing Kane to the spot.
The England captain, who had been largely anonymous for much of the night, sent the ball low to the right and into the net.
Kane has now converted 26 successive penalties for club and country since his miss against France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
“We had many, many good chances,” Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich told Sky Germany.
“But we made it a bit too exciting at the end as we could’ve decided things earlier.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: “We’re happy with the 1-0 even if we could’ve scored a goal or two more.”
A first-half goal from Omar Marmoush took Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-0 win at St. Pauli amid growing speculation that the Egypt star is on the brink of a move to Manchester City.
Before the game, Frankfurt sporting director Markus Kroesche confirmed “a club had got in contact” about Marmoush, with Sky Germany saying the forward had already agreed personal terms with the English champions.
Marmoush was on target in the 32nd minute against his former club, calmly turning inside the box before firing a shot into the top corner.
The goal was Marmoush’s 14th in 16 Bundesliga games this season, one behind Kane. The 25-year-old also has eight league assists.
“We did plenty to keep a clean sheet today,” said Frankfurt captain Kevin Trapp as his team stayed in third place.
Elsewhere, Freiburg leapfrogged Borussia Dortmund into sixth with a 3-2 home win over Holstein Kiel highlighted by a stunning free-kick from captain Christian Guenter.
Kiel’s Nicolai Remberg unwittingly diverted an Eren Dinkci cross into his own net on 23 minutes, before Guenter sent an excellent dipping shot into the top corner from wide on the right-hand side.
Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo added a third although Kiel’s Phil Harres made the home side sweat with two goals in the final five minutes.
Union Berlin’s miserable week went from bad to worse, going down 2-0 with 10 men at Heidenheim just days after a German Football Association (DFB) sports court punished them for unruly behavior by their fans.
The DFB court decided Union’s 1-1 home draw with Bochum in December should be considered a 2-0 win for the away side after a home fan threw a lighter at the head of the visiting goalkeeper.
Union president Dirk Zingler slammed the decision pre-match as an “unfair scandal,” saying the court was trying to make a “political example” of the club who have appealed the punishment.
Bayern loanee Frans Kraetzig gave the hosts the lead on the counter after 17 minutes in his first Heidenheim game before Union’s Tom Rothe was red carded for a last-man foul.
Adrian Beck sealed the win with seven minutes remaining, giving his side a first win since September.
Mainz climbed past RB Leipzig into fourth with a 2-0 home with over lowly Bochum, with Germany forward Jonathan Burkardt scoring in each half.
A 29th-minute Mohamed Amoura goal took Wolfsburg to a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim.