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The 8th International League T20 (ILT20) 2025 match between Capitals of Dubai i Sharjah Warriors it turned out to be an epic contest, ending with the Warriorz chasing the highest total in ILT20 history. The match, played in Sharjah, witnessed a historic chase Avishka FernandoThe blistering knock guided the Warriorz to an incredible 202-run target, securing victory with 11 balls to spare.
Dubai Capitals batting led by Shai Hope
The Capitals, who won the toss and elected to bat first, posted a challenging total of 201/5 in their 20 overs. Shai Hope anchored the innings with an unbeaten 83 off 52 balls, laced with six towering sixes and three boundaries. Next to hope, Brandon McMullen (22 of 14), Sikandar Raza (27 of 20) i Rowman Powell (28 off 15) made valuable contributions, each playing their part in building a strong innings. The Warriorz bowlers, led by Tim Southeeshowed excellent discipline, with Southee returning figures of 2/35 in his four-over spell. Karim Janat also intervened with crucial breakthroughs, eliminating Hope at a vital stage, while Gulbadin Naib (6 of 3) added a late bloomer. Despite the effort, The Capitals finished at 201/5, setting up a memorable chase.
Historic hunt by Sharjah Warriorz
In their reply, the Warriorz started with an aggressive intent and Avishka took over from the start. The Sri Lankan batsman was in a league of his own, smashing a staggering 81 runs off just 27 deliveries, a knock that included six fours and eight massive sixes. Fernando’s ability to clear the boundary with such ease and his calculated aggression transformed the race chase into a one-sided affair from the start. His innings culminated with the fastest fifty in ILT20 history, reaching his half-century off just 16 balls, a feat that left the crowd stunned and the opposition deflated.
Johnson Charles provided the early stability with a quickfire 37 off 19 balls, while Rohan MustafaThe steady 17 runs off 16 deliveries helped maintain the run rate. However, it was Fernando’s destructive batting that swung the momentum squarely in favor of the Warriorz. Capitals bowlers included Dushmantha Chameera (3/30) i Olly Stone (1/50), tried to contain Fernando, but they had no answer to his onslaught. His fearless approach forced the Capitals to constantly adjust their line and length, without success in curbing their free-scoring streak.
As the goal approached, Luke Wells (31 not out off 17) provided the perfect finishing touch, hitting boundaries at crucial intervals to keep the required run rate in check. The Warriorz comfortably reached 202/5 in just 18 overs, claiming a historic victory with 11 balls to spare, marking the most successful chase in ILT20 history.
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Avishka Fernando’s slam rewrites records
Avishka’s innings was sensational, with 6 boundaries and 8 monstrous sixes, including the fastest fifty in ILT20 history, reaching his half-century off just 16 balls! His sheer dominance in the crease rewrote records and set a new benchmark for chases in this league. The previous record for the highest chase in ILT20 belonged to the Giants of the Gulfwho successfully chased 196 runs against Desert vipers in Dubai in the 2023 edition.
However, Fernando’s sensational knock broke that record, demonstrating his ability to clear the boundary with ease and maintain an aggressive pace throughout his innings. At the beginning of the 2024 edition, that of Pakistan Azam Khan he had set the record for the fastest fifty in ILT20 history, taking just 18 balls to reach his fifty against the Giants. But Fernando’s calculated aggression and ability to accelerate at will took things to another level entirely.
The most successful pursuit of the #DPWorldILT20! 🥵
Sharjah Warriorz bag 2️⃣ points!The drive was led by Avishka Fernando all the way, and the home team chased the target at a gallop. Batsmanship of the highest order! 🔝#SWvDC #AllInForCricket pic.twitter.com/R0csU3mIQX
— International T20 League (@ILT20Official) January 17, 2025
