The Saudi Games sparks a love of cycling and country for double gold medalist

DUBAI: Dubai Capitals earned a dramatic four-wicket victory over Desert Vipers in the DP World ILT20 final on Sunday, securing their maiden championship title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The triumph saw the Capitals claim the winner’s prize of $700,000, while the Desert Vipers, who finished as runners-up, will walk away with $300,000.

Chasing a challenging target of 189, the Capitals endured early setbacks, but found stability through the performances of Rovman Powell, Shai Hope, and Sikandar Raza.

Powell led the fightback with a well-crafted 63 off 38 balls, while Hope’s composed 43 ensured the chase remained on track. However, it was Raza who delivered the decisive late burst, smashing an unbeaten 34 from just 12 deliveries to see his team over the line in the final over.

The Capitals’ pursuit began on a shaky note, with David Warner falling in the second over, followed by quick wickets from Mohammad Amir that reduced them to 39 for three at the end of the powerplay.

Hope and Powell then steadied the innings, forging an 80-run partnership that reignited the Capitals’ hopes.

While Hope played the anchor role, Powell’s aggressive strokeplay, including two towering sixes, shifted the momentum in their favor. The partnership was eventually broken in the 14th over when Sam Curran dismissed Hope, but Powell continued his charge, reaching his half-century off 30 balls.

With 65 runs needed from the final five overs, Powell and Dasun Shanaka found the boundary regularly to keep the Capitals in the contest.

Shanaka made a brisk 21 off nine deliveries before falling to David Payne, while Powell, who had earlier survived a stumping off a no-ball, eventually departed for 63 in the 18th over.

As tension mounted, it was Raza who took control, striking three boundaries off Amir in the penultimate over before sealing the win with a six and a four in the final over, ensuring the Capitals secured their sixth consecutive victory over the Vipers.

Earlier in the evening, the Desert Vipers posted a competitive total of 189 for five, thanks to an excellent knock from Max Holden, who top-scored with 76 off 51 balls.

After losing openers Alex Hales and Rahmanullah Gurbaz early, Holden took charge of the innings, guiding the Vipers to 53 for two at the end of the powerplay. He reached his half-century in the ninth over and continued his fluent strokeplay despite being dropped at long-off.

His efforts were supported by Curran, who struck an unbeaten 62 off just 28 balls, and Azam Khan, who provided late acceleration with a 13-ball 27. The final push saw the Vipers add 67 runs in the last five overs, setting what seemed a formidable target.

Reflecting on his match-winning innings, Powell expressed his delight at delivering on the big stage, acknowledging the belief within the Capitals’ camp.

“The message was to stay calm. The tournament was quiet for me, but I wanted to prove myself in the final. Big players step up on the big stage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Curran, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, praised his team despite the loss, saying: “It was an amazing game. It’s tough to take the loss, but I’m proud of the team. The Capitals had our number this season, but hopefully, we go one better next year.”

As the tournament concluded, individual excellence was also recognized, with Hope claiming the Green Belt for finishing as the highest run-scorer with 529 runs.

Fazalhaq Farooqi of MI Emirates was awarded the White Belt as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps in 11 innings.

Muhammad Waseem, also of MI Emirates, secured the Blue Belt as the best UAE player for a third consecutive season.

RIYADH: A big screen bombarding match-going fans with advertisements, an emcee screaming at the top of their lungs and a playlist of overly commercialized pop music devoid of any meaning or connection.

Welcome to the experience for many football fans the world over.

As the football world becomes smaller thanks to technology and globalization, the matchday experience has become increasingly gentrified as clubs follow the same playbook to entertain their fans. If you’ve been to enough games, you’ll have encountered this.

So, as a club looking to grow its global resonance, how does Al-Ittihad ensure it doesn’t fall into the same trap and instead continues to offer something distinctly Saudi Arabian to its increasingly international audience?

Enter Salma Malaeb, senior manager of matchday experience at Al-Ittihad, whose job it is to create an atmosphere unique to Saudi Arabia’s oldest football club.

The simplest experience, Malaeb told Arab News, is the stadium playlist.

“A lot of the playlist songs are actual Ittihad songs written by Ittihad artists, because the club is a community in itself, you know?

“You have a lot of local artists, a lot of creatives. We try to even work with the creatives, for example, in the fan zone. We have a pop-up from time to time, (where) we work with a local artist, so we try to incorporate the community into matchday through these little things, while at the same time trying to modernize it.

“Because, yes, we do want to reach international standards, but we also want to maintain the identity of the club, and this is maintained (by) our Ultras as well. They will make you feel like this is Saudi football, and this is what football means to them.”

The biggest expression of their passion is undoubtedly the iconic full-stadium tifos that have become synonymous with the Al-Ittihad matchday experience.

Malaeb, who has only been in the role for just over six months and has previously worked for Real Madrid and at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, sees first-hand the work that goes into preparing the displays.

Aside from facilitating the pre-match planning and coordination, the club is largely uninvolved in the process, preferring to keep it a uniquely fan-controlled initiative.

“In terms of how much it’s controlled by the club, we really try to not control it,” she explained. “We want it to be as genuine as possible, coming straight from these hardcore fans.

“A lot of sponsors have tried to engage in some way, but for us, it’s always like: ‘No, we really want to keep this for them.’ This is something for the audience, this is something for these fans.”

And how much work goes into coordinating these works of art? Simple answer — a lot.

“We see it because we’re behind the scenes,” she explained.

“They work with an artist (who) comes up with the designs. This is basically the process. But then, operationally, we see them matchday minus one, matchday minus two working on it, hanging it on the seats.

“It’s really incredible, the amount of work and dedication that it takes. But the guys here, they work tirelessly around the clock to get a tifo in place. So, it’s honestly a work of art, really.”

And much like the greatest art galleries of the world, there is a lure so compelling that it just draws people in, converting them into fans — Malaeb included.

“When you see the dedication, and you actually see the results of this, honestly, automatically, you fall in love with the club,” Malaeb said.

“Because football is about the passion behind it, right? It’s about the fans. This is what makes football so beautiful. So, when you get to know the club, and you get to see the passion and dedication that these guys put in around the club to try to get something like this done, you just fall in love with it.

“I’ve been here for six months, but I swear, I am in love with this club. You can’t help it.”

And when fans visit the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, that is the emotion Malaeb wants every single one of them to feel. She wants them to feel at home, even if they do share the stadium with crosstown rivals, Al-Ahli. On matchday, when it’s decked out top-to-bottom in yellow and black, she wants them to feel a sense of belonging.

That includes, in increasing numbers, families and female fans. Now that they know a woman is behind the matchday operations, women are “even more excited” to attend matches, Malaeb said.

“Also, a lot of kids, because now they know we’re trying to entertain the kids with our tiger mascot, getting him more involved on a match day, visiting different areas of the stadium, interacting with the spectators.

“We do notice that, and I know I’m relatively new here, but I hear from my colleagues, and they tell me the atmosphere has changed,” she added.

If you ever find yourself walking into the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, don’t expect just any experience. Expect something more unique.

Where Liverpool has “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Al-Ittihad has “The Nation’s Club,” a thunderous anthem the fans belt out pre-game as the players stand arm-in-arm in front of them. It gets the hairs standing every time.

They may now operate in a global environment, but Al-Ittihad remains rooted in the local community.