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Desert Vipers (182/4) claim maiden ILT20 title with 46-Run victory over MI Emirates (136)

Khuzaima Tanveer looks decent and can hit out a little too.

Is he qualifying to play for UAE or can he play PSL as a local despite no domestic in Pak?
 
Desert Vipers faced a late resistance but pulled through to secure a five-wicket win over the Sharjah Warriorz at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. The result wiped out the Warriorz’ playoff hopes, while the Vipers became the first team in the DP World ILT20 to win eight matches in the group stage.

Post this result, either Abu Dhabi Knight Riders or the Gulf Giants will complete the playoff line-up alongside Desert Vipers, MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals, with the two sides meeting on Sunday, 28 December, in the final league-stage fixture. Meanwhile, the winner of Saturday’s clash between MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals (27 December) will secure a top-two finish.

Naseem Shah’s three wickets restricted the Warriorz to 140/7, before Max Holden’s unbeaten 66 runs in 46 balls, including nine fours and a six took the Vipers all the way. Harmeet Singh’s three wickets in the middle overs briefly piled some pressure but Holden was ably supported by Sam Curran’s 25 runs in 28 balls, and Hasan Nawaz’s 25 runs in 14 balls. For the Warriorz, Johnson Charles’ 43 runs in 37 balls was the highest score.

In the second innings, Sikandar Raza and Richard Ngarava put the Warriorz on top initially, keeping the Vipers to just 28/2 after six overs. Raza struck in the third over to remove Fakhar Zaman (6 off 9), while Ngarava followed up by dismissing Andries Gous (1 off 4) to leave the chase wobbling early. Runs were hard to come by as Sam Curran and Max Holden were kept quiet till the end of the powerplay.

Curran and Holden began to claw their way back into the chase through a steady partnership of 64 runs in 53 balls. The pair rotated strike smartly against Adil Rashid before Harmeet Singh broke the stand in the 12th over after he trapped Curran LBW.

Harmeet gave the Vipers a late scare with wickets in the 14th and 16th overs. Dan Lawrence (9 off 7) was the first to fall, before Jason Roy (4 off 9) was caught and bowled by the USA spinner. However, Hasan Nawaz then joined Holden in the middle and together, the duo’s unbeaten 47-run stand in 26 balls took the side home.

Earlier, David Payne and Khuzaima Tanveer gave the Warriorz an early jolt, reducing them to 6/2 after two overs. Payne trapped Monank Patel (4 off 2) LBW in the first over, while Tom Abell (0 off 2) fell in the second to Tanveer. Tom Kohler-Cadmore (20 off 22) counter-attacked to hit Naseem Shah for 19 runs in the fifth over, taking the Warriorz to 45/2 inside the powerplay.

Opener Johnson Charles, who had started cautiously, hammered Qais Ahmad for two sixes in the eighth over to break the shackles. He put on 61 runs with Kohler-Cadmore in 45 deliveries until Naseem Shah castled the latter in the tenth over. Two overs later, Qais Ahmad joined the party with a double blow. First, he sent Charles packing and then skipper Sikandar Raza was bowled for a golden duck to leave the Warriorz at 79/5.

James Rew (22 off 20) and Ryan Burl (21* off 25) tried to revive the batting effort but were unable to find the boundaries. Naseem Shah closed out the first innings with the wickets of Rew and Harmeet Singh (11 off 8) in the 18th and 20th overs respectively, restricting the Warriorz to 140/7.

Desert Vipers skipper Sam Curran said, “It was really pleasing to get a win heading into the Qualifier. We adjusted to the conditions very well. Max played a superb innings, and Hasan finished it off nicely with some big strikes at the end. It was also good for a few batters to spend time in the middle. We’ve had a fantastic season overall, winning eight out of ten matches.”

Sharjah Warriorz skipper Sikandar Raza said, “Pretty much everything that could go wrong for us did go wrong this season. Had we played those key moments slightly better in few of our games, we would have qualified already. On these wickets, 150 was a competitive total and we rarely got there, which is the most painful part. The positives are with the bowling unit — Harmeet has been excellent since joining, Adil has bowled really well, and overall the bowlers consistently kept us in the game.”

Brief Scores

Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriorz by five wickets

Sharjah Warriorz 140/7 in 20 overs (Johnson Charles 43, James Rew 22, Ryan Burl 21 not out, Naseem Shah 3 for 35, Qais Ahmad 2 for 30)

Desert Vipers 144/5 in 19.3 overs (Max Holden 66 not out, Hasan Nawaz 25 not out, Sam Curran 25, Harmeet Singh 3 for 29, Sikandar Raza 1 for 27)

Player of the match: Max Holden
 
Embarrassing tournament for Fakhar. He's looked horrendous and looking like father time has caught up to him. He looks so cooked and then you have our other long time openers in Babar/Rizwan playing in BBL who are looking horrendous too.

I'd honestly move on from all three entirely in T20's.
 
ILT20 is a pointless league.The only thing good about it is that it provides an opportunity for cricketers to earn some money.Many players who don’t get chance to play in IPL,BBL or SA20 can earn some money and why not.
 
Fenrir said:
ILT20 is a pointless league.The only thing good about it is that it provides an opportunity for cricketers to earn some money.Many players who don’t get chance to play in IPL,BBL or SA20 can earn some money and why not.
Click to expand...
It is especially great for the English cricketers who have found another good league to competitive cricket and make money in their off-season.
 
The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders secured their place in the top four of DP World ILT20 Season 4 with a commanding 32-run win over the Gulf Giants in the final league match at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The victory booked their spot in the Eliminator, where they will face the Dubai Capitals on 1 January, while the Desert Vipers are set to meet MI Emirates on 30 December in Qualifier 1 for a place in the final.

A superb 131-run opening partnership between Michael Pepper (83 off 51) and Phil Salt (72* off 56) paved the way for the Knight Riders’ triumph. Both batters struck impressive half-centuries, guiding their side to a powerful total of 179/1. Although Moeen Ali produced a blazing counter-attack during the chase, late wickets from Sunil Narine and Andre Russell ensured the Giants fell short.

Defending 180, Jason Holder provided the early breakthrough by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the first over, before removing James Vince (19 off 10) in his next spell. Ajay Kumar added to the pressure by sending back Ben Kellaway (5 off 8) in the fifth over, while Sunil Narine bowled two tight overs for just five runs. By the end of the powerplay, the Giants were reeling at 32/3.

Moeen Ali (79 off 49) then anchored the innings with a spirited counter-attacking knock. He broke free with a six off Liam Livingstone in the eighth over and followed up with a flurry of boundaries and another six against Piyush Chawla in the ninth. He reached his half-century in 31 balls and added a useful 45-run stand with Kyle Mayers (6 off 10).

However, the chase slipped away in the 15th over when Narine struck twice, removing Mayers and Sean Dickson for a duck to tighten the Knight Riders’ grip on the contest. Despite Moeen’s continued resistance, Andre Russell delivered the decisive moment in the 18th over, dismissing both Moeen and Aayan Khan in successive deliveries. The Giants eventually closed on 147/9, as Abu Dhabi sealed a convincing win.

Earlier, the Knight Riders’ openers dominated the powerplay, racing to 56 without loss. Pepper took charge with an aggressive approach, smashing Azmatullah Omarzai for 20 runs in the fifth over — including two towering sixes. He reached his fifty from 31 balls, while Salt provided steady support as the pair brought up the second century partnership of the season in 67 deliveries.

The stand was finally broken in the 15th over when Pepper holed out to Mark Adair off Aayan Khan. His innings featured six fours and four sixes. Salt went on to bring up his half-century from 44 balls and, together with Liam Livingstone (18* off 13), added 48 runs for the second wicket. The pair hammered 18 runs in the final over as Abu Dhabi finished on 179/1.
 
The Desert Vipers powered their way to the final of the DP World ILT20 Season 4 with a resounding 45-run victory over MI Emirates in Qualifier 1 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Led by Andries Gous’ unbeaten century, and Usman Tariq’s three-wicket haul, the Vipers qualified for their third final in four seasons of the DP World ILT20.

Meanwhile, MI Emirates will face the winner of the Eliminator between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals, to be played on 1 January.

A destructive partnership between Andries Gous (120* of 58) and Fakhar Zaman (69 off 50), followed by a late onslaught from Sam Curran (38* off 12) steered the Vipers to 233/1 - the highest total of this season.

Gous not only became the first centurion of the season, but also the first player from an Associate Nation to register a century across four seasons of the competition. His unbeaten 120 is also the highest individual score in the history of the league.

For the MI Emirates, Tom Banton’s fighting 63 in 27 balls, with six fours and four sixes fell short. Usman Tariq, making his DP World ILT20 debut, took three wickets for 33 runs in the middle overs to turn the tide and ensure that Vipers secured their place in the final with relative ease.

Chasing a mammoth total, Muhammad Waseem (41 off 32) showed early intent for the MI Emirates with three boundaries in the opening over. He rotated the strike with Andre Fletcher (4 off 7), who was dismissed by Khuzaima Tanveer in the fourth over, before Tom Banton hit a six and a four early in his innings. Their bright start ensured MI Emirates reached 53/1 at the end of the powerplay.

Banton changed gears post the powerplay, hitting Sam Curran for 18 runs in the ninth over and bringing up his 21-ball half-century in the process. However, Banton’s 81-run partnership off 43 balls with Waseem was broken by Naseem Shah in the 11th over, when the UAE batter holed out to Hassan Nawaz.

The Vipers asserted their dominance in the middle overs courtesy debutant Usman Tariq, who struck twice in two balls in the 12th over to get the dangerous Banton and then Sanjay Krishnamurthi for a duck. He added the scalp of Kieron Pollard (15 off 9) in the 14th over as the MI Emirates’ batting began to unravel.

David Payne joined the party in the 16th over to send Dan Mousley (7 off 11) packing as the match slid out of the MI Emirates’ hands. Despite a late push from Romario Shepherd (39* off 23), including 22 runs off Curran in the 18th over, the Vipers restricted their opponents to 188/7.

Asked to set a target, the Vipers sailed to 47/0 in the powerplay. After a watchful start, Gous broke the shackles in the fifth, dispatching Romario Shepherd for two consecutive sixes and a four in a 20-run over.

Gous kept the pressure on as he brought up a half-century in 29 balls, thumping three fours and three sixes in the process. The opening stand breached the 100-run mark in only 65 balls. Fakhar, whose first 25 runs came in 23 balls, quickly made amends in the middle overs. He struck Kieron Pollard for a six and a four in consecutive balls to race to a 36-ball fifty.

The pair found boundaries at will and went on to register the highest opening stand in the history of the DP World ILT20. The 157-run partnership was finally halted in the 16th over, when Allah Ghazanfar scalped Fakhar Zaman. Gous brought up his century in 53 balls as the final five overs saw 85 runs.

While Gous finished his unbeaten knock with seven fours and nine sixes, Sam Curran was also destructive with two fours and four sixes in his short, unbeaten stint. He smashed 20 runs in the final over to propel the Vipers to 233/1.

Player of the match Andries Gous said, “It was a really special moment for me. You don’t get many opportunities to score a hundred, so I truly cherished it. After the sixth over, we knew handling the wind would be key, and Fakhar batted superbly, which made my job a lot easier. Post powerplay, we were thinking in terms of 190–200, but then Sam played an unbelievable innings that pushed us all the way to 230.”

MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard said, “Chasing 233 was always going to be a stiff challenge. Losing by 45 runs is a big margin in T20 cricket, but I felt we conceded about 10–15 runs too many on what was a very good pitch. We’ve played and won plenty of games at this venue, though this surface was new to us and played well. One loss isn’t the end of the road—we still have another chance. You always want to get it done the first time, but this was one game where we fell away at the back end, and credit to the opposition for playing exceptionally well.”

Brief Scores

Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates by 45 runs

Desert Vipers 233/1 in 20 overs (Andries Gous 120 not out, Fakhar Zaman 69, Sam Curran 38, Allah Ghazanfar 1 for 37)

MI Emirates 188/7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 63, Muhammad Waseem 41, Romario Shepherd 39 not out, Usman Tariq 3 for 33, David Payne 2 for 52, Naseem Shah 1 for 20)

Player of the match: Andries Gous
 
Usman Tariq is very difficult to pick.. he is causing real trouble to all the batsman..he can be trump card for Pakistan in WC ..In today's match batsman were not seen complaining about his action..
 
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders stayed in the hunt for the DP World ILT20 Season 4 title after sealing a 50-run win over the Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday. After an impressive opening partnership between Michael Pepper and Phil Salt, the spin department of the Knight Riders ensured that the Capitals were unable to recover from their early blows.

The Knight Riders will now face MI Emirates in the Qualifier 2 on Friday for a place in the final against Desert Vipers, which will be held on Sunday, January 4.

Pepper hit his second consecutive half-century, finishing on 72 runs in 49 balls including seven fours and three sixes. His 122-run opening-wicket partnership off just 81 balls with Phil Salt (43 off 34) led the charge, but the Capitals’ bowlers wrestled back control with seven wickets for 36 runs to restrict the Knight Riders to 158/7. In response, spinners Sunil Narine, Jason Holder and Liam Livingstone bagged three wickets each to keep control of the game throughout and seal an impressive win, bundling the Capitals for 108.

Chasing 159, the Capitals endured a bruising Powerplay as Abu Dhabi Knight Riders ripped through their top order. Jason Holder set the tone in the second over, removing Toby Albert (11 off 8), before Ajay Kumar delivered a crucial blow in the next over to dismiss Jordan Cox (10 off 5).

The squeeze tightened further when Sunil Narine took control, trapping Shayan Jahangir (8 off 6) LBW and then producing a classic Narine ripper to bowl Navin Bidaisee (7 off 10) in overs four and six respectivel as Dubai Capitals limped to 43/4.

Narine added to his tally with the wicket of Gulbadin Naib (7 off 10) in the eighth over. The pressure told once more in the 10th over when Liam Livingstone tempted Rovman Powell (12 off 14) to a miscued hit that was safely pouched in the deep. With just 16 runs coming in overs 7–10 and two more wickets falling, the Capitals slumped to 64/6 at the halfway mark, the chase slipping firmly out of reach.

The Knight Riders sealed the contest emphatically in the closing phase. Livingstone sparked the collapse with a golden-arm spell, removing James Neesham (19 off 13) in the 12th over, and David Willey (2 off 6) in the 14th over. The knockout punch arrived in over 16, when Holder struck twice in succession — first dismissing Mohammad Nabi (27 off 21), then trapping Muhammad Jawadullah for a duck — to extinguish any faint hopes of a late surge.

Electing to bat first, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders had a thunderous powerplay. Michael Pepper and Phil Salt took the Knight Riders to 55/0, with Pepper extending his red-hot form with four fours and two sixes inside the first six overs.

While Salt played the more measured knock, Pepper raced to a 36-ball half century. The pair also brought up their second consecutive 100-run partnership as Salt smoked Muhammad Jawadullah over the long-on boundary to bring up the milestone in 70 balls.

The momentum tilted sharply soon after. With the score at 122/0, Mohammed Nabi removed Salt in the 14th over, triggering an implosion that saw the Knight Riders lose five wickets for eight runs. Two wickets fell in the 15th over when the well-set Pepper was run out after a mix up with Andre Russell (1 off 4), and the latter was castled by Haider Ali just two balls later.

Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil then removed Alishan Sharafu (2 off 3) and Alex Hales (2 off 5) respectively as the Knight Riders slumped to 130/5 in 16.1 overs. Nabi accounted for Liam Livingstone (4 off 6) as well as finishing his quota with frugal figures of 3/25.

A captain’s knock from Jason Holder (22* off 11) provided some respite towards the end. Holder smashed two fours and a six including 10 runs of the final over to push his side to 158/7.

Player of the match Sunil Narine said, “Winning games changes everything—it means a lot. We haven’t made the playoffs in three years, and that’s something we’ve been pushing hard for. It’s emotional because we’ve played good cricket before without getting the results.”

Dubai Capitals’ skipper Mohammad Nabi said, “At one point it looked like they might get close to 200, but we did well to pull things back with the ball. With the bat, though, we weren’t good enough as a unit. There wasn’t excessive turn, but they bowled very well to their areas. The plan was to rotate strike and avoid early wickets, but it didn’t come off.”

Brief Scores

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders beat Dubai Capitals by 50 runs

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 158/7 in 20 overs (Michael Pepper 72, Phil Salt 43, Jason Holder 22 not out, Mohammad Nabi 3 for 25, Waqar Salamkheil 1 for 25)

Dubai Capitals 108 all out in 16.2 overs (Mohammad Nabi 27, James Neesham 19, Sunil Narine 3 for 12, Jason Holder 3 for 18, Liam Livingstone 3 for 26)

Player of the match: Sunil Narine
 
Hemang Badani and David Willey fined for Code of Conduct breach in DP World ILT20 Season 4

Dubai Capitals' head coach Hemang Badani has been fined 20% of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct following his side’s Eliminator against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Dubai on 1 January 2026. He joins all-rounder David Willey, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Badani was found guilty of breaching Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to conduct contrary to the spirit of the game. Meanwhile, Willey was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8 (G) of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match. The sanctions were imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.

In an earlier incident, Sharjah Warriorz batter Johnson Charles was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct following his side’s fixture against the Dubai Capitals in Dubai on 24 December 2025.

Charles was found guilty of breaching Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match. The sanction was imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.

Previously, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell and teammate Sherfane Rutherford were found breaching the Code of Conduct in their side’s DP World ILT20 Season 4 fixture against the Sharjah Warriorz in Abu Dhabi on 22 December 2025.

Russell was given a warning for breaching Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match.

Rutherford was fined 50 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching Article 2.2 for a second time this season. As a repeat offence, the breach was elevated to a Level 2 offence. Match Referee Simon Taufel imposed both the sanctions.

In another fixture, Dubai Capitals’ Haider Ali and Waqar Salamkheil were fined for separate Level 1 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct following their side’s match against the Gulf Giants in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, 21 December.

Haider Ali was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct. The offence relates to the use of language, actions, or gestures that could disparage or provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter following their dismissal.

Waqar Salamkheil was fined 10 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of breaching Article 2.8, which covers showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match. Both sanctions were imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.

In another case this season, Desert Vipers batter Hasan Nawaz and Dubai Capitals pacer Muhammad Jawadullah were fined 10 per cent of their match fees for separate offences.

Nawaz was sanctioned for an incident during the Vipers’ match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on 16 December 2025. He breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to the abuse of cricket equipment or ground fixtures. The sanction was imposed by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama.

Jawadullah was fined following the Capitals’ match against MI Emirates in Dubai on Thursday, 17 December 2025. He was found guilty of breaching Article 2.5. The sanction was imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.

In the first code of conduct breach of the season, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders all-rounder Liam Livingstone was sanctioned after the Knight Riders’ match against Dubai Capitals in Dubai on Sunday, 7 December, for conduct deemed contrary to the spirit of the game under Article 2.20. The charge was imposed by Match Referee Simon Taufel.

Level 1 breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct carry penalties ranging from an official reprimand to a fine of up to 50 per cent of a player’s match fee.


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Johnson Charles fined for Code of Conduct breach in DP World ILT20 Season 4

Dubai Capitals' head coach Hemang Badani has been fined 20% of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct following his side’s Eliminator against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Dubai on 1 January 2026. He joins all-rounder David Willey, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee...
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MI Emirates booked their spot in the DP World ILT20 Season 4 final with a convincing seven-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. After restricting the Knight Riders to 120/8, Shakib Al Hasan and Tom Banton sealed the chase to set up a final clash against the Desert Vipers on 4 January at the Dubai International Stadium.

Allah Ghazanfar claimed three wickets for 24 runs while Alishan Sharafu’s unbeaten half-century guided the Knight Riders to 120/8. In response, Banton (62 off 53) and Shakib (38 off 24) contributed to an 82-run partnership off 53 balls as they rode out the early pressure to seal MI Emirates’ place in their second-ever final across four seasons.

MI Emirates made a slow start as Andre Fletcher (5 off 6) fell in the second over, with Ajay Kumar providing the early breakthrough. Jason Holder and Sunil Narine kept the pressure on as Tom Banton and Muhammad Waseem (10 off 14) struggled to rotate the strike, leaving MI Emirates at 26/1 at the end of the powerplay.

The pair stabilised the chase thereafter, taking 10 runs off Olly Stone in the seventh over. However, Narine broke their 30-run stand off 35 balls in the following over, trapping Waseem LBW. Shakib then joined Banton and shifted the momentum, striking Liam Livingstone for a six and two fours in a decisive 17-run 12th over, with the duo bringing up their 50-run partnership in just 29 balls.

Banton reached his half-century off 49 balls in the 15th over, with the Englishman hitting four fours off Holder to collect 18 runs. This reduced the equation to just eight runs from the final five overs. Soon after the wicket of Shakib in the 16th over, MI Emirates completed the chase with 23 balls to spare.

Earlier, Michael Pepper (1 off 4) was run out by a brilliant Andre Fletcher direct hit in the second over, after which Brandon McMullen (13 off 8) was trapped LBW by Muhammad Rohid in the fourth. With boundaries hard to come by, the powerplay firmly belonged to the MI Emirates bowlers as the Knight Riders crawled to 31/2.

Liam Livingstone’s (4 off 10) struggles ended with a miscue off Muhammad Rohid in the seventh over. The spinners then tightened the screws, with boundaries scarce barring Arab Gul’s costly 12th over, which went for 13.

Alex Hales (29 off 36) and Alishan Sharafu (50* off 40) briefly lifted the tempo with a 47-run stand off 44 balls before Ghazanfar dismissed Hales with the final delivery of the 14th over.

Ghazanfar returned in the 18th over to claim wickets off consecutive deliveries, first removing Jason Holder (1 off 2), who holed out to Kieron Pollard off the first ball. He later sent Sunil Narine (4 off 3) back to the pavilion in the same over. Sharafu brought up his half-century off the final ball of the innings as the Knight Riders laboured to 120/8.

Player of the match Shakib Al Hasan of the MI Emirates said, “It was a crucial game for us, and winning the toss helped. The bowlers were outstanding and kept picking up wickets, which made the difference. With the bat, the focus was on batting time and managing overs, especially against the spinners. That was my role today. In pressure games, losing wickets makes it very hard to recover.”

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders skipper Jason Holder said, “It was a challenging wicket early on, and we struggled to build momentum. Still, considering where we were midway through the tournament, I thought it was a solid effort overall. We came up short tonight, but the commitment throughout the campaign was excellent. Andre was outstanding, and everyone contributed at different stages of the tournament.”

Brief Scores

MI Emirates beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by seven wickets

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 120/8 in 20 overs (Alishan Sharafu 50 not out, Alex Hales 29, Allah Ghazanfar 3 for 24, Muhammad Rohid 2 for 19, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 30)

MI Emirates 120/3 in 16.1 overs (Tom Banton 62 not out, Shakib Al Hasan 38, Ajay Kumar 2 for 13, Sunil Narine 1 for 20)

Player of the match: Shakib Al Hasan
 
Desert Vipers are ILT20 2025/26 Champions!

Pakistanis shone in the Final today against Ambani's MI Emirates

Fakhar Zaman: 20 of 15
Hasan Nawaz: Did not Bat. Took 3 good catches and a six saved!
Usman Tariq: 2-20 in 4 overs
Naseem Shah: 3-18 in 4 overs
 
The spell of Naseem and Usman Tariq makes all the difference. Usman Tariq is currently the best spinner of pakistan for T20s. Good headache for Pakistan going to WC with 3 spinners performing brilliantly in T20, Usman Tariq, chinaman bowler and Abrar. Plus u have 3 spin allrounders Saim, Nawaz and Shadab.
 
The Desert Vipers secured their maiden DP World ILT20 trophy after beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night. The Desert Vipers took home a cash prize of USD 700,000 along with the Black Belt, while MI Emirates were awarded USD 300,000.

Curran smashed an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls, studded with eight fours and two sixes, to power his team to an unassailable 182/4. He was well supported by Max Holden (41 off 32) and Dan Lawrence’s (23 off 15) late charge. Naseem Shah (3/18), Usman Tariq (2/20), and Khuzaima Tanveer (2/22) led the bowling effort before David Payne’s three-wicket haul (3/42) restricted MI Emirates to 136.

Fans at the Dubai International Stadium were treated to a spectacular build-up ahead of the final, with a dazzling fireworks display and a drone show lighting up the night sky. The pre-match extravaganza created a carnival-like atmosphere as thousands of spectators soaked in the visual spectacle that celebrated the league and set the stage for the biggest clash of the season.

The Vipers’ skipper Sam Curran capped off an impressive tournament by finishing with both the Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) and the Green Belt (Best Batter). Curran ended the season with 397 runs, including three half-centuries, and complemented his batting efforts with seven wickets and 10 catches.

In the second innings, the Vipers’ Naseem Shah set the tone early, removing Andre Fletcher (10 off 11) and Tom Banton (7 off 6), while Khuzaima Tanveer capitalised with the key wicket of Muhammad Waseem (26 off 13). MI Emirates lost three wickets inside six overs and crawled to 46/3, leaving Shakib Al Hasan and Sanjay Krishnamurthi with plenty of work to do.

Usman Tariq turned up the heat by dismissing Sanjay Krishnamurthi (2 off 9) in the eighth over. Shakib Al Hasan (36 off 27) attempted to steady the innings with calculated strikes, but boundaries were hard to come by. With Kieron Pollard struggling to break free, MI Emirates reached 72/4 after 10 overs, falling further behind in the chase.

MI Emirates’ hopes rested on Shakib and Kieron Pollard (28 off 27), who completed their 50-run stand in 38 balls before Tariq delivered a decisive blow by removing Shakib, pushing the equation to a daunting 61 off the final four overs.

After Naseem Shah removed Kieron Pollard to end any late resistance, David Payne ripped through the lower order, bagging three wickets in the 18th over. Khuzaima Tanveer sealed the title by clattering Muhammad Rohid’s stumps (3 off 4) as the Vipers closed out the match with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, the Vipers began briskly in the powerplay as Fakhar Zaman (20 off 15) and Jason Roy (11 off 7) put on 34/0 in the first three overs. Momentum shifted in the fourth over when Fazalhaq Farooqi struck twice to dismiss both openers. Sam Curran responded emphatically, smashing three consecutive boundaries in the final over of the powerplay to carry the Vipers to 59/2.

Curran then joined hands with Max Holden, rotating the strike efficiently and attacking smartly to take the Vipers to 83/2 at the halfway stage. The duo completed their 50-run stand in the 11th over, off just 39 balls. Curran kept the offensive going while Holden played the anchor role before Arab Gul ended their 89-run partnership off 64 balls with Holden’s wicket in the 15th over.

The Vipers’ skipper continued piling on the pressure, bringing up his half-century off 39 balls in the 17th over. His fourth-wicket partnership with Dan Lawrence (23 off 15) provided the impetus in the death overs, as they added 57 runs in just 33 balls to carry the team to 182/4.

The White Belt (Best Bowler) was claimed by Dubai Capitals’ Waqar Salamkheil, who led the bowling charts with 18 wickets. Meanwhile, MI Emirates’ Muhammad Waseem picked up the Blue Belt for Best UAE Player for the fourth straight campaign after scoring 370 runs across Season 4. The winners of the DP World ILT20 signature belts were awarded USD 15,000 each.

Player of the Match and Desert Vipers skipper Sam Curran said: “I was nervous coming into the final. The players, management and owners have been outstanding, and it’s going to be a big celebration tonight. Nerves are natural, and I think they help. You never quite know how the pitch will play, and losing Gous to injury in the warm-up tested us, but it showed the strength of our group and our setup. MI are a quality side, but over the course of the season we’ve been the most consistent team, and I think we deserved the trophy.”

MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard said: “To be honest, it went wrong in the field. The start wasn’t sharp enough. In a final, those moments matter. Take away 15–20 runs and suddenly 160 becomes very chaseable. This is when you need players to step up, and we didn’t. The Vipers deserved to win. I still felt 180 was chaseable, but losing early wickets stalled us. Sam batted well, and overall, from where we started to where we finished, it’s been a fantastic tournament for us.”

Brief Scores

Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates by 46 runs

Desert Vipers 182/4 in 20 overs (Sam Curran 74 not out, Max Holden 41, Dan Lawrence 23, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 33)

MI Emirates 136 all out in 18.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 36, Kieron Pollard 28, Muhammad Waseem 26, Naseem Shah 3 for 18, David Payne 3 for 42, Usman Tariq 2 for 20, Khuzaima Tanveer 2 for 22)

Player of the match: Sam Curran

DP World ILT20 Season 4 belt winners:

Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Curran, Desert Vipers

Green Belt (Best Batter) – Sam Curran, Desert Vipers

White Belt (Best Bowler) – Waqar Salamkheil, Dubai Capitals

Blue Belt (Best UAE player) – Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates
 
Other than PSL I do not really follow these T20 leagues - i just keep an eye out to see how the Pakistani players are doing. To be honest this ILT20 or whatever it is called totally passed me by and barely registered with me. If what I am reading is correct that the only team which had Pakistani players in it won the tournament especially if other teams are India / IPL owned then that is quite funny, lol.
 
Sam Curran and Khuzaima Tanveer were absolute guns for the Vipers.

Gous played only a couple of matches but had terrific impact.

Rest were OK.
 
Babeikh said:
Other than PSL I do not really follow these T20 leagues - i just keep an eye out to see how the Pakistani players are doing. To be honest this ILT20 or whatever it is called totally passed me by and barely registered with me. If what I am reading is correct that the only team which had Pakistani players in it won the tournament especially if other teams are India / IPL owned then that is quite funny, lol.
Click to expand...

Too many T20 leagues nowadays. Hard to keep track.
 
RidiculousMan said:
Desert Vipers are ILT20 2025/26 Champions!

Pakistanis shone in the Final today against Ambani's MI Emirates

Fakhar Zaman: 20 of 15
Hasan Nawaz: Did not Bat. Took 3 good catches and a six saved!
Usman Tariq: 2-20 in 4 overs
Naseem Shah: 3-18 in 4 overs
Click to expand...
Impressive from Naseem n Usman.
Good effort ftom Hasan on the field.
 
Cricket Warrior said:
The Desert Vipers secured their maiden DP World ILT20 trophy after beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night. The Desert Vipers took home a cash prize of USD 700,000 along with the Black Belt, while MI Emirates were awarded USD 300,000.

Curran smashed an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls, studded with eight fours and two sixes, to power his team to an unassailable 182/4. He was well supported by Max Holden (41 off 32) and Dan Lawrence’s (23 off 15) late charge. Naseem Shah (3/18), Usman Tariq (2/20), and Khuzaima Tanveer (2/22) led the bowling effort before David Payne’s three-wicket haul (3/42) restricted MI Emirates to 136.

Fans at the Dubai International Stadium were treated to a spectacular build-up ahead of the final, with a dazzling fireworks display and a drone show lighting up the night sky. The pre-match extravaganza created a carnival-like atmosphere as thousands of spectators soaked in the visual spectacle that celebrated the league and set the stage for the biggest clash of the season.

The Vipers’ skipper Sam Curran capped off an impressive tournament by finishing with both the Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) and the Green Belt (Best Batter). Curran ended the season with 397 runs, including three half-centuries, and complemented his batting efforts with seven wickets and 10 catches.

In the second innings, the Vipers’ Naseem Shah set the tone early, removing Andre Fletcher (10 off 11) and Tom Banton (7 off 6), while Khuzaima Tanveer capitalised with the key wicket of Muhammad Waseem (26 off 13). MI Emirates lost three wickets inside six overs and crawled to 46/3, leaving Shakib Al Hasan and Sanjay Krishnamurthi with plenty of work to do.

Usman Tariq turned up the heat by dismissing Sanjay Krishnamurthi (2 off 9) in the eighth over. Shakib Al Hasan (36 off 27) attempted to steady the innings with calculated strikes, but boundaries were hard to come by. With Kieron Pollard struggling to break free, MI Emirates reached 72/4 after 10 overs, falling further behind in the chase.

MI Emirates’ hopes rested on Shakib and Kieron Pollard (28 off 27), who completed their 50-run stand in 38 balls before Tariq delivered a decisive blow by removing Shakib, pushing the equation to a daunting 61 off the final four overs.

After Naseem Shah removed Kieron Pollard to end any late resistance, David Payne ripped through the lower order, bagging three wickets in the 18th over. Khuzaima Tanveer sealed the title by clattering Muhammad Rohid’s stumps (3 off 4) as the Vipers closed out the match with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, the Vipers began briskly in the powerplay as Fakhar Zaman (20 off 15) and Jason Roy (11 off 7) put on 34/0 in the first three overs. Momentum shifted in the fourth over when Fazalhaq Farooqi struck twice to dismiss both openers. Sam Curran responded emphatically, smashing three consecutive boundaries in the final over of the powerplay to carry the Vipers to 59/2.

Curran then joined hands with Max Holden, rotating the strike efficiently and attacking smartly to take the Vipers to 83/2 at the halfway stage. The duo completed their 50-run stand in the 11th over, off just 39 balls. Curran kept the offensive going while Holden played the anchor role before Arab Gul ended their 89-run partnership off 64 balls with Holden’s wicket in the 15th over.

The Vipers’ skipper continued piling on the pressure, bringing up his half-century off 39 balls in the 17th over. His fourth-wicket partnership with Dan Lawrence (23 off 15) provided the impetus in the death overs, as they added 57 runs in just 33 balls to carry the team to 182/4.

The White Belt (Best Bowler) was claimed by Dubai Capitals’ Waqar Salamkheil, who led the bowling charts with 18 wickets. Meanwhile, MI Emirates’ Muhammad Waseem picked up the Blue Belt for Best UAE Player for the fourth straight campaign after scoring 370 runs across Season 4. The winners of the DP World ILT20 signature belts were awarded USD 15,000 each.

Player of the Match and Desert Vipers skipper Sam Curran said: “I was nervous coming into the final. The players, management and owners have been outstanding, and it’s going to be a big celebration tonight. Nerves are natural, and I think they help. You never quite know how the pitch will play, and losing Gous to injury in the warm-up tested us, but it showed the strength of our group and our setup. MI are a quality side, but over the course of the season we’ve been the most consistent team, and I think we deserved the trophy.”

MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard said: “To be honest, it went wrong in the field. The start wasn’t sharp enough. In a final, those moments matter. Take away 15–20 runs and suddenly 160 becomes very chaseable. This is when you need players to step up, and we didn’t. The Vipers deserved to win. I still felt 180 was chaseable, but losing early wickets stalled us. Sam batted well, and overall, from where we started to where we finished, it’s been a fantastic tournament for us.”

Brief Scores

Desert Vipers beat MI Emirates by 46 runs

Desert Vipers 182/4 in 20 overs (Sam Curran 74 not out, Max Holden 41, Dan Lawrence 23, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 33)

MI Emirates 136 all out in 18.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 36, Kieron Pollard 28, Muhammad Waseem 26, Naseem Shah 3 for 18, David Payne 3 for 42, Usman Tariq 2 for 20, Khuzaima Tanveer 2 for 22)

Player of the match: Sam Curran

DP World ILT20 Season 4 belt winners:

Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Curran, Desert Vipers

Green Belt (Best Batter) – Sam Curran, Desert Vipers

White Belt (Best Bowler) – Waqar Salamkheil, Dubai Capitals

Blue Belt (Best UAE player) – Muhammad Waseem, MI Emirates
Click to expand...
https://twitter.com/x/status/2007925373045207290
 
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