Former UAE captain Ahmed Raza’s first game as head coach of a franchise team got off to a perfect start as his Dubai Capitals team emerged winners by 22 runs over New Zealand’s Central Stags in the Global Super League opener at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was the star of the show as his unbeaten 37-ball 58 helped the Capitals post 165-7. He then returned with 4-13 from four overs to restrict the Stags to 143-8 and secure victory in the invitational T20 tournament.
The Bangladesh legend arrived at the fall of Kadeem Alleyne's wicket after a fine burst from Angus Schaw had the Capitals 58-3 in the eighth over.
Shakib dispatched the first delivery he faced from Schaw to the fence with a splendid revers sweep. He then went about rebuilding the innings with the help of seven fours and a six.
Opener Sediqullah Atal smashed a 25-ball 41 while Jesse Bootan (20) and Dominic Drakes (11) also helped the DP World ILT20 team post a decent total.
The Stags made a promising start to the chase, with Will Young (19) and Dane Cleaver (21) putting on 30 in 4.1 overs before Shakib provided a double blow.
Shakib bowled a double-wicket maiden in the fifth over, trapping Will Young and Dean Foxcroft lbw. He finished with excellent figures of 4-1-13-4 to help defeat the Super Smash champions.
In the second match on the opening day, defending champions Rangpur Riders edged out Guyana Amazon Warriors by eight runs.
And it was yet another Bangladeshi - Khaled Ahmed - who starred in the win by taking four wickets late in the Warriors innings to skittle them for 154 in reply to the Riders total of 162-5.
The tournament pits five franchise league winners against one another, including Australia’s Big Bash champions Hobart Hurricanes, Caribbean Premier League winners Amazon Warriors and Bangladesh Premier League’s Rangpur Riders.
Having got off to a perfect start, Raza’s men take on Hobart Hurricanes in Friday's second game.
“The talent which is on show in the GSL is absolutely brilliant and everyone is eager to get the tournament started,” Raza had said earlier.
“The quality of teams here and the players on show … you get the winners of different franchises coming together and playing in a tournament. It’s a great platform for the players.
“In my team, the players have arrived from different parts of the world and they are all eager to get going.”
