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Dan Mousley, with a couple of brilliant caught-and-bowled dismissals brought MI Emirates back firmly in the game. But with the dew coming down, it was always going to be hard work restricting the batters in the second innings. He talks about the conditions and the total that MIE posted in the post-match press interview. Excerpts..On the total at the halfway stageIt was one of those games where we were I thought 10-15 runs below par. For a bowling group, you have to scrap as much as you can. Zaman played beautifully with the bat and Sam Curran also had a really good knock. For us it was just about taking it as deep as we could with both bat and ball and see how it ended up. It finished in the last over and we took it as deep as possible.&nbsp;Thoughts on how the conditions changed in the second innings&nbsp;It’s one of those with the dew. It comes down and makes the wicket a lot better. We got just 160 when we could have gotten 170-175. We actually bowled pretty well with the ball.&nbsp;On being a player from England playing in the ILT20I love coming here. It is my third year in this competition and we have a great bunch of lads in the dressing room. It’s nice to get away from England with the cold weather. It’s a great competition with international superstars and we love coming here.&nbsp;On what dew does to bowlersAlmost does less when the dew comes down. The ball stops doing anything and comes on nicely. Batting second today looked easy. Some of the shots they were playing were a little bit easy with dew on the wicket.&nbsp;

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“We took it deep but were 10-15 runs below par”: Dan Mousley 

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Twist after twist. Turn after turn. But it wasn’t to be. While we fought hard, both with bat and ball, to come back from behind, sadly, the result wasn’t in our favour. Let’s relive the proceedings, shall we..&nbsp;KP gets us off to a KP-kind-of startAfter a couple of slightly quiet games, he Kusal Perera was back to doing what he’d done superbly in the previous season – getting us off to a solid start, first with Muhammad Waseem as the two got to 48 for no loss in the powerplay, and then with Tom Banton, to finish with five fours in his knock of 33.&nbsp;Pollard battles it out amidst a mini collapse&nbsp;With Nicholas Pooran and Tom Banton falling in quick succession and MI Emirates being in a spot of bother at 86/4 inside the 13th over, The Llord took over in typical style. He was happy to take it slow at first, before taking the game deep and exploding in the end for a very useful 23-ball 36.&nbsp;Romario gives it the finishing touches&nbsp;20 runs came off the 20th over, 14 came off the 19th, and MI Emirates had just the finish they needed to get to a par total of 159. That’s thanks largely to Romario Shepherd’s eight-ball 16, which included two massive sixes he hit off David Payne.&nbsp;From 62/0 to 71/3, our bowlers hit back&nbsp;Fakhar Zaman and Alex Hales got the Desert Vipers off to a solid start, but through Dan Mousley and Waqar Salamkheil, the brakes were put on their innings. Despite another partnership coming up, Zahoor Khan came strongly and opened the game up once again in the 19th over.&nbsp;Sadly, Rutherford finishes it off&nbsp;13 runs were needed off 11 balls. Both set batters in Zaman and Sam Curran were dismissed. But Sherfane Rutherford, courtesy a cheeky dab in the same over got the equation down to under a-run-a-ball, and then sealed it for the Vipers with a pull over backward square leg off the first ball of the 20th over.&nbsp;It might end up as an L against our name, but it was truly hard fought. We’ll be up against the Sharjah Warriorz next on the road on a hot Sunday afternoon, and we cannot wait to get our campaign back on the winning road.&nbsp;

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DVvMIE report: We claw back hard, but Rutherford’s cameo snatches it

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It’s always a spectacle when numbers one and two clash. MI Emirates are coming off a proper heartbreak in a one-run defeat against the Dubai Capitals, followed by a quick avenging of the same in the return fixture at home with a pretty comprehensive win. The Desert Vipers have aced two chases against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and the Gulf Giants in their two games. It promises to be mouth-watering as the two clash in Dubai. Check the temperatures, people. IT’S GOING TO GET REAL HOT!It’s been a tournament for the pacers so far, with the pitches having good carry and seam movement. How’s this for some prospective head-to-head: Kusal Perera vs Mohammad Amir, Fakhar Zaman vs Fazalhaq Farooqi, Nicholas Pooran vs Sam Curran, Kieron Pollard vs Lockie Ferguson. Oh, we cannot wait. Absolute fire awaits.What: Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates&nbsp;When: January 16, 2025 | 18:30 local time, 20:00 ISTWhere: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai&nbsp;What to expect: This is a pretty intense rivalry with some real close encounters. We have gotten our caravan on the winning track, and we are all set to keep rolling and bringing home the points.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Match 3 | DVvMIE preview: Clash of the table-toppers 

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The 1-run heartbreak from the other night has successfully been avenged, in style. It’s courtesy a complete performance, with a good batting start, a solid target, a clinical bowling performance. Our 2025 campaign, in a déjà vu to 2024, is off and running. Let’s go over some big moments..&nbsp;The 109-run entertainment&nbsp;Tom Banton and skipper Nicholas Pooran were having their share of fun. Banton was the more measured of the two, happy to play a bit of a second fiddle, but still amassing a 52-ball 74. Nicky P was being Nicky P. He was on a rampage, with two fours and six sixes in his 29-ball knock of 59. Despite a slight late collapse, MI Emirates did well to get to 187/7 in their 20 overs.&nbsp;The Hope-filled show for the CapitalsIt was a chase of two halves for the Dubai Capitals. Shai Hope alone got 101 off 59 balls, smashing a wonderful century and at one point looking like taking the game away from us. The rest of the batters along with the extras could only get 60 off 61 balls. That’s where our bowlers were excellent right through, refusing to ease up on the pressure.&nbsp;The stuff of dreams – Farooqui and his yorkers&nbsp;The Capitals needed 51 runs to win off 24 balls. Seven wickets remained Enter Fazalhaq Farooqi. With two pin-point yorkers right at the base of off-stump, Sikandar Raza and Dasun Shanaka were sent packing, and MI Emirates firmly had the game in their kitty.&nbsp;Right then, we’re officially on track and among the points. Let’s keep bringing them home..

Match 3 | DVvMIE preview: Clash of the table-toppers

By MI Emirates Media

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