The Dubai Capitals - owned by the GMR Group - take on Mumbai Emirates in match 13 of the International League T20 (ILT20) 2023 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Sunday, January 22.

While the Emirates claimed a third win in a row against Gulf Giants, the Capitals fell to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Sharjah Warriors.

Dubai Capitals, with three losses in four games, are aiming to go full throttle against an opposing team that boasts of a dominant winning rate. The Capitals could ring in a number of changes to the playing XI on Sunday, with the likes of Hazratullah Zazai, George Munsey and Oliver White strong options on the bench.

Mumbai Emirates, meanwhile, will rely on the all-round skills of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, besides their bowling assets in Trent Boult and Imran Tahir.

Here are some talking points:

Emirates’ bowlers a threat to Capitals’ batting

Mumbai Emirates have won all three games in ILT20, with the bowling unit playing an active role. Veteran star bowlers Dwayne Bravo and Imran Tahir have registered five wickets each, while New Zealand star Trent Boult has bagged a wicket in every game thus far.

For the Capitals, Akif Raja has stood out with the ball with six wickets in three games. The UAE bowler has led from the front and could be the potential matchwinner for DC against Mumbai Emirates’ batting stalwarts.

Root finds his run-scoring hunger

After scoring a collective 52 runs in the initial three games, English cricketer Joe Root showcased his impressive batting skills against Sharjah Warriors in the latest game. In his unbeaten 80 off 54 balls, Root slammed eight boundaries and a six at a strike rate of 148.14. His determined innings helped Dubai Capitals recover from 15/2 to eventually 177/4 in 20 overs.

In the upcoming match against Mumbai Emirates, the 32-year-old will be eager to put up a batting performance worthy of a victory for the Capitals.