Shakib Shines Bright! Unbeaten 58 Lifts Dubai Capitals to 165 in GSL 2025 Opener

by Sports Desk

🌟 Vintage Shakib Powers Dubai Capitals

Bangladesh’s T20 maestro Shakib Al Hasan rolled back the years with a cool-headed, unbeaten 58 off 39 balls*, anchoring the Dubai Capitals to a competitive 165/6 against the Joburg Titans in the high-octane opener of the Global Super League 2025 (GSL).

🗨️ “It felt good to stay till the end. We knew 160-plus would be tricky on this pitch.”
Shakib Al Hasan, Player of the Match


📊 Dubai Capitals Innings Summary

BatterRuns (Balls)SR4s/6s
Joe Clarke22 (17)129.43/1
Rahmanullah Gurbaz30 (19)157.94/2
Rovman Powell (C)11 (8)137.51/0
Shakib Al Hasan58 (39)*148.75/2
Jordan Cox21 (15)140.02/1
Dominic Drakes12 (9)133.31/0
Extras11
Total165/6 (20)

📌 Fall of wickets: 43/1 → 67/2 → 92/3 → 115/4 → 142/5 → 153/6


🧠 Key Takeaways

Shakib’s Calm: Played the perfect anchor role with a 360° game — wristy flicks, late cuts, and lofted drives
Smart Partnerships: Added 50+ runs with Cox and Drakes
Spin Shield: Tackled leg-spin threat Tabraiz Shamsi with sweep-and-reverse mastery

🎯 Match-defining moment: Shakib hit back-to-back boundaries off Nortje in the 18th over to swing the momentum.


🎤 What They Said

🗣️ Rovman Powell (DC Captain):
“That’s why Shakib’s a legend — ice in his veins and class with the bat.”

🗣️ Opposition Skipper (Joburg Titans):
“He played smart cricket. We gave him just enough room, and he punished us.”


🌍 GSL 2025 – Match 1 Result Snapshot

MatchResult
Dubai Capitals vs Joburg TitansDubai Capitals: 165/6 (20)
Joburg Titans: 152/9 (20)
WinnerDubai Capitals won by 13 runs
POTMShakib Al Hasan (58 & 1/22)*

🧾 Editor’s Take

Composed, clinical, and classic — Shakib Al Hasan once again proved why he’s a T20 titan. With a steady hand in chaos and unmatched experience, he ensured Dubai started their GSL 2025 journey with a winning statement.

In a league packed with stars, Shakib’s light still burns the brightest.

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