Johnson Charles’ blazing 71 guides Sharjah Warriorz to dominant win over Dubai Capitals

A spectacular knock from Johnson Charles powered Sharjah Warriorz to a commanding nine-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals in the International League T20 (ILT20) on Tuesday. Charles’ explosive 71 off just 33 balls made the run chase a mere formality, as the Warriorz comfortably reached the target in only 11.5 overs at the Dubai International Stadium. The win maintained their perfect record against the Dubai Capitals and provided a significant boost to their net run rate, strengthening their playoff prospects.

Sharjah’s chase got off to a blistering start, with Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore dominating the powerplay to register the highest first six-over score of the season. The opening duo raced to 79 runs, dismantling the opposition’s bowling attack. Charles, in particular, was ruthless, smashing five sixes in a single over off Zahir Khan. He reached his half-century in just 21 balls, striking six sixes and two fours. His innings featured a mix of power-hitting, precise placements, and inventive shots, including switch-hits. His onslaught ended in the 11th over when Sikandar Raza dismissed him after he had struck three fours and eight sixes. Kohler-Cadmore then completed the chase in style, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 32 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes, finishing the match with a boundary off Dushmantha Chameera.

Earlier, Dubai Capitals posted 131/9 in their 20 overs, struggling to build momentum after a promising start. Adam Rossington gave them a flying start in the powerplay, smashing a six and two fours on his way to 37 off 23 balls. The team reached 55/1 in the first six overs, with Shai Hope playing a supporting role. However, after Rossington fell to Adam Zampa in the seventh over, the Capitals’ innings lost steam. Zampa was instrumental in controlling the middle overs, picking up Gulbadin Naib’s wicket, while Ashton Agar removed Sikandar Raza and also ran out Najibullah Zadran, leaving the Capitals struggling at 85/4 in the 12th over.

The collapse continued as UAE’s Rohan Mustafa further tightened the grip by dismissing Khalid Shah and Dasun Shanaka. Shai Hope, who anchored one end with a patient 45 off 52 balls, eventually fell to Tim Southee in the 18th over. Rovman Powell provided a late flourish, scoring an unbeaten 32 off just 16 balls with three fours and two sixes, but the Capitals’ total of 131/9 proved to be well below par.

Reflecting on the win, Player of the Match Johnson Charles credited the team’s disciplined bowling and his familiarity with the Dubai conditions for his performance. “They got off to a bit of a flier, but I love playing in Dubai because the conditions tend to get a bit skiddier, which suits my style. I thought Ashton Agar and Rohan Mustafa bowled exceptionally well and complemented each other perfectly. We managed to put the opposition under pressure. Ash and I have played a lot together in the past, and it’s always a pleasure to play alongside him,” Charles said in an ILT20 press release.

Dubai Capitals captain Sikandar Raza admitted his team’s approach in the batting department needed adjustments. “I thought we were traditional in our batting. We needed more sweeps, reverse sweeps, and switch hits. We went into a shell rather than being aggressive. Johnson is a fantastic player and has done that to many teams; it was quite hard to bowl at him. He played a lot of great shots. One bad game is not going to derail us. We will try to get this game out of our system and winning the next two is the target,” Raza said.

Brief Score:

• Dubai Capitals 131/9 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 45, Adam Rossington 37, Rohan Mustafa 2/12)
• Sharjah Warriorz 135/1 in 11.5 overs (Johnson Charles 71, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 54*, Sikandar Raza 1/9).