ILT20: David Warner fit for final against Desert Vipers as Dubai Capitals eye first major trophy for GMR
David Warner will be fit to help Dubai Capitals push for a first DP World International League T20 title when they face Desert Vipers in the final on Sunday. The Australian great has played just one match in the competition so far, after arriving from playing at the Big Bash League. Despite such limited exposure, he has already had a significant impact on the event. In that match, against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, he hit 93 not out from 57 balls. It set the Capitals up for the second biggest total in the competition and a victory, but Warner missed the following two matches due to a back injury. The Capitals played three matches in the course of four days, with Warner sitting out the latter two. They thrived despite his absence, striking two psychological blows ahead of the final. First, they beat the Vipers by nine wickets in the final match of the league phase. Then, on Wednesday, they beat the same opposition in a final-ball thriller to become the first team through to the showpiece fixture at Dubai International Stadium. The Vipers subsequently made it through in their second-chance qualifier against Sharjah Warriorz on Friday night. It mean Warner said the previous fixtures between the side will count for nothing in the final, though. 'When you've beaten them a couple of times, that's the scary part,' Warner said. 'Sometimes that momentum can break. Hopefully, that doesn't happen and we can continue our form. 'They have a powerhouse batting line-up, so for us, it's all about taking early wickets, sticking to our basics and plans with the ball.' Each of the sides have been runners up in the previous two seasons of the UAE's franchise competition. The Vipers were the losing finalists in the first season, against Gulf Giants back in 2023, while the Capitals lost out to MI Emirates 12 months later. Having been part of the Vipers side in the first campaign, Sam Billings switched to the Capitals last season. The Capitals captain is looking to avoid a hat-trick of final defeats. As with Warner, he was a late arrival after playing at the BBL. The duo played together for Sydney Thunder in that event in Australia, and Billings is happy to have the 38-year-old opener back available for selection. 'It was a real blessing that we had a few extra days to rest up [after winning their place in the final by winning the first qualifier on Wednesday],' Billings said. 'He is a quality performer. [We played] together at the Big Bash [for Sydney Thunder] this year and got through to the final, and he showed his class. 'People were starting to write him off, but actually I think he has played some of his best cricket in recent times. Any team that David Warner is in is a stronger team for it. 'He is a big game player and I have no doubt he is the sort of guy who will step up tomorrow. That is what I am hoping for.' If the Capitals do claim the title it would be the first win in a major franchise tournament for their owners, GMR. They also own the Delhi franchise of the same name in the Indian Premier League, whose best result was finishing runners up in the 2020 IPL – the final of which was also played in Dubai. While the Capitals are welcoming back one of their key players, the Vipers will be without two major assets of their own. Lockie Ferguson, their captain, is nursing a hamstring strain, and will not be risked with a view to national duty with New Zealand in the Champions Trophy later this month. Wanindu Hasaranga has also departed the squad because of international commitments with Sri Lanka. Ferguson did at least complete the pre-final formalities in his role as captain, but will now hand over the leadership duties to Sam Curran for the match. 'From day one we have all enjoyed being a part of the squad, and the family we have created has translated on the field,' Ferguson said. 'The Dubai Capitals are an exceptional team, and I think the top two teams in the competition have made it to the final.' Despite the loss of Ferguson and Hasaranga, the Vipers still have plenty of experience to call on, with Mohammed Amir leading their bowling attack. 'I love big stages, so why not? I want to be a part of the champion team,' Amir said. 'This [ILT20] is on my bucket list. I have won 2009 T20 World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy, PSL, CPL, T10. And now I want to win this tournament.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Cricket Council
7 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Cummins backs Labuschagne to come good at Lord's
Pat Cummins has backed 'known entity' Marnus Labuschagne to come good in the World Test Championship Final after Australia opted to put their faith in experience. The 30-year-old has won the selection battle with teenager Sam Konstas and will move up to open alongside Usman Khawaja against South Africa at Lord's, with Cameron Green to bat at three. Labuschagne has not been his usual prolific self in this WTC cycle, averaging 28.33, but knows what it takes to score runs on English soil – a factor which proved crucial in the decision to pick him. 'He's a known quantity, our selectors would rather give someone an extra little run than pull the pin too early,' Cummins said. 'He has played some crucial knocks in getting us here, his batting was right up there with the difference at the MCG (scores of 72 and 70 in the Boxing Day Test against India). 'Him, Sam and Josh Inglis have all trained well but the selectors went with Marnus. He's done well in England in the past and here at Lord's. 'We love when they (openers) are busy and putting pressure back on the bowlers. That's our message here to Marnus. 'Opening the batting can be tough, but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat here before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging. There's runs to be scored there. Keeping that positive intent, is when he is batting at his best.' Australia's other 50/50 call lay in their seam attack, with Josh Hazlewood given the nod over Scott Boland to join Cummins, Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Beau Webster in a fearsome pace quartet to complement the spin of Nathan Lyon. 'There are some guys where you genuinely say you've done nothing wrong, don't change a thing, and that is the case with Scott,' Cummins said. 'There's a lot of Test cricket in the next couple of years and by having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can all extend our careers by an extra couple of years. He is very unfortunate to miss out but we know how good Josh Hazlewood is. The message to him (Boland) is don't feel like you're running out of time. 'In Sydney, Beau (Webster) was really effective in seaming conditions. He takes key breakthroughs and can also hold up an end. 'He has done brilliantly with the bat in his three Tests and his bowling will be pretty crucial this week.' Australia arrive at Lord's as reigning World Test champions and are serial winners when it comes to ICC major events, in contrast to their opponents this week. Cummins, who is six wickets away from becoming the fourth-fastest Australian to reach 300 Test wickets, behind only Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Dennis Lillee, believes that big-match knowhow could come to the fore in a one-off showpiece scenario. 'Just about everyone in the team has been in a final before and when you have those experiences, you want more of it,' he said. 'When the going gets tough, you embrace that, you want to be the matchwinner. 'The guys have excitement and they just want to get out there. There's no fear of failure, just excitement to get going. 'This is a trophy we have spoken about a lot in the past couple of years, we wanted to be in this final. 'Personally, the World Cup in 2023 will be hard to beat as a moment but this is a good one. Test cricket is my favourite format, you have to win in all conditions against all Test-playing nations to make it here and it is really special to be in the final. 'If we can retain that mace, that is a pretty awesome thing for this team.' Australia XI to face South Africa in the World Test Championship Final: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood ENDS
Int'l Cricket Council
14 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Proteas pinpoint Australia's weakness ahead of WTC25 Final
The Proteas took a chance on injury prone pacer Lungi Ngidi ahead of Dane Paterson and will stick with all-rounder Wiaan Mulder at first drop during the Lord's contest, while the Aussies decided to leave out teenager Sam Konstas and push usual No.3 Marnus Labuschagne up to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Labuschagne has never opened the batting at Test level and Bavuma thinks his power-packed fast bowling attack can take advantage of this in the Ultimate Test that commences on Wednesday. "I think there is an opportunity there an I think the conditions as well, I believe, bring us into the game a lot. "With the swinging ball, very different to Australian conditions and different to South African conditions as well and that definitely gives us an opportunity. "I think both teams have formidable bowling attacks. I think the real opportunity is within the two betting lineups and how they are able to kind of front up and give their bowlers a score to bowl at."
Int'l Cricket Council
a day ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Lyon: World Test Championship Final 2025 is an important step to becoming one of the great Australian teams
Nathan Lyon believes the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 represents a significant step in Australia's quest to become one of the all-time great Test teams. The 37-year-old off-spinner is part of Andrew McDonald's squad to take on South Africa at Lord's in the finale of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. Australia will be looking to defend the title they won in 2023 after beating India by 209 runs at The Oval, and Lyon, who took the match-winning wicket of Mohammed Siraj in that victory, wants to build on the progress that has been made since then. 'It is important that we look at this week as a celebration piece,' he said. 'We've done incredibly well over the last couple of years, at home and away, and that is something that as a team, we should be really proud of. 'In my eyes, we're on a journey to becoming a great Australian team. We're not there yet, I'm well aware of that, but that's our goal too. 'This game is another step up that ladder.' Australia finished second in the league table during the 2023-25 WTC cycle, having claimed 67.54 per cent of the points on offer to them. They were also the only nation not to lose a series in that time, winning four of the six series they played. Their percentage was only bettered by the table-topping Proteas' 69.44 per cent. Lyon, a New South Wales native, has taken 56 wickets against South Africa in 18 matches during his career and expects nothing less than a fierce contest with the side captained by Temba Bavuma. 'Yes, we've been here before, but South Africa qualified first during this World Test Championship,' he continued. 'Throughout these two years, they've done something really well to finish top, and so they deserve that home changing room leading into this game. 'It's international cricket. We're expecting an extremely hard challenge and there's going to be a lot of problems out there, but we're going to have to be good enough to solve those problems ASAP.' Australia have plenty of firepower within their bowling ranks for this match, with five of those selected within the top 14 of the ICC Men's Test Bowling rankings. Lyon himself sits fifth on that list, with captain Pat Cummins in third, Josh Hazlewood in fourth, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in 11th and 14th, respectively. Cummins (73), Starc (72) and Lyon (66) also currently occupy positions two through four on the leading wicket-takers list for this edition of the WTC, with only India's Jasprit Bumrah ahead of them with 77 wickets. The presence of multiple experienced and skilled bowlers in the Australian camp is only improving the standards in training, revealed Lyon. 'As a bowling squad, we are very proud of where we are currently at,' he said. 'But we're not leaving any stone unturned and we're still trying to get better as a bowling group. 'I feel that spurs each and every one of us on to get better.' Australia last played Test cricket in England during the 2023 Ashes series – the opening contest of the 2023-25 WTC cycle – but many from the squad have since taken the opportunity to return to play on the shores of the old rival. Lyon played for Lancashire in 2024, while Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green and Beau Webster have represented Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, respectively, this season. Green's stint in England has been particularly impressive, with the all-rounder plundering 467 runs in just five County Championship Division 2 matches at an average of 66.71. He has also scored three hundreds, including match-winning knocks of 128 and 67 not out against Kent in mid-May. And Lyon feels the 26-year-old will learn a lot from his stint in the West Country. 'It's been amazing to have Greeny over here,' he added. 'I think he's played four or five games for Gloucestershire and done really well. So, hopefully, that gives him the confidence to pick things up from where he left off. 'It's important, especially for the younger players, like Greeny, to come over here and play county cricket. 'I feel like you get a lot of understanding of how the game is played over here in these conditions, how the Dukes ball moves around and how the overhead conditions play a role.' ENDS
