Dubai Capitals' Gulbadin Naim Lashes Out At Mohammad Amir For Lack Of 'Respect' After ILT20 Win

The ILT20 2025 final between Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers on February 9 had its fair share of intense moments. One such incident occurred during Dubai Capitals' chase when former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir dismissed Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib with a stunning in-swinging yorker.

Amir celebrated the wicket by mimicking Naib's signature 'bicep flex' celebration.Naib, however, remained unfazed by Amir's gesture and went for a DRS review, which ultimately did not overturn the decision.

After Dubai Capitals' four-wicket triumph, Naib addressed the incident, emphasizing the importance of respect in cricket.

"I always say it is a gentleman's game. You should respect each other. If you don't show respect, no one will respect you either. He knows how much respect he got by doing this act. As a cricketer, as a human being, you should respect everyone," Naib told The Hindustan Times.

Naib had a modest outing in the final, bowling just one over for 10 runs and scoring five off three balls before being dismissed. However, the match saw Rovman Powell lead the charge with a superb 63 off 38 balls, while Dasun Shanaka (21 off 10) and Sikandar Raza (34 off 12) played crucial cameos to steer Dubai Capitals to victory with four balls to spare.

Reflecting on the triumph, Naib acknowledged the collective effort of the team and praised Raza's finishing heroics.

Despite a low score in the final, Naib had an outstanding season, finishing as the sixth-highest run-getter in the tournament. The 33-year-old amassed 381 runs in 12 innings at a stellar average of 42.33, recording four half-centuries, the most by any player in the season. He also contributed with the ball, claiming 11 wickets at an average of 18.45.

The Dubai Capitals' ILT20 2025 triumph marked their first-ever title across all franchise leagues. Interestingly, Naib was part of the Delhi Capitals squad in the previous season but was not retained for IPL 2025 and went unsold in the mega auction.

With a stellar ILT20 season under his belt, Naib has once again demonstrated his all-round abilities, and it remains to be seen if he can find his way back into a top T20 league in the near future.