After losing two finals, Desert Vipers finally lifted the ILT20 trophy.
Shakib Al Hasan bowled just the first over, conceding 10 runs, and didn’t get another chance to bowl. With the bat, he once again crossed 30 in consecutive matches, but this time he couldn’t guide his team to victory. MI Emirates fell short of the target as the Vipers secured a commanding win to become champions of the fourth ILT20 edition.
Vipers won the final by 46 runs. On Sunday in Dubai, Sam Curran’s side posted 182 runs and then bowled out Emirates for 136.
Emirates lost their last six wickets for just 22 runs. Shakib’s 36 off 27 balls, including three fours, was the highest score for his team.
After suffering defeats in two previous finals in the UAE franchise league, Desert Vipers finally managed to claim the title.
It was also the first time since 2010 that a men’s or women’s team from the MI franchise lost a T20 final. More than a decade ago, Mumbai Indians were beaten by Chennai Super Kings in an IPL final.
The most consistent team of the tournament ultimately lifted the trophy. Vipers topped the points table in the league stage, winning eight of their ten matches. After defeating Emirates in the first qualifier to reach the final, they repeated the feat on the biggest stage.
Vipers captain Sam Curran played a brilliant unbeaten 74 off 51 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, and was named Player of the Final. The English pace-bowling all-rounder was also the tournament’s best player, scoring 397 runs in 12 matches at an average of 49.62 and a strike rate of 135.49, while taking seven wickets.
This was Shakib’s first ILT20 season. After a tight bowling performance in the second qualifier against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, he guided the team to victory with 38 off 24 balls and earned Player of the Match honors. He also received the award in another match.
Across eight matches, Shakib batted in five innings, scoring 115 runs at a strike rate of 122.34, with a highest of 38. With the ball, he picked up three wickets in eight innings, conceding 6.10 runs per over.
MI Emirates began their chase promisingly. Muhammad Wasim and Andre Fletcher hit a six each in the first two overs, but neither opener could anchor the innings. Tom Banton, after back-to-back fifties, also fell early, failing to reach double figures.
After scoring 19 runs in the first two overs, Emirates lost three wickets in the next four overs while adding 27 runs. With Sanjay Krishnamurthy’s departure in the eighth over, they were 54 for four.
Shakib then partnered with Kieron Pollard to rebuild the innings. Both started cautiously but later hit a four each in David Payne’s over.
Chasing 70 off the last five overs, Shakib was caught at long-off in the 16th over off off-spinner Usman Tariq, followed by Pollard (28 off 28 balls) falling in the next over. Payne then picked up three wickets in four balls.
Emirates captain Pollard had chosen to bowl first after losing the toss. Fakhar Zaman hit a six off Shakib’s second delivery, but Shakib conceded only four more runs in the remaining five balls.
Though the openers Fakhar and Jason Roy couldn’t anchor the innings, Max Holden scored 41 off 32 balls at number three. Sam Curran then played a brilliant innings to take the total to 182.
Score summary
- Desert Vipers: 20 overs – 182/4 (Fakhar 20, Roy 11, Holden 41, Curran 74*, Lawrence 23; Shakib 1-0-10-0, Ghazanfar 4-0-27-0, Rohid 2-0-23-0, Faruki 4-0-33-2, Tajinder 3-0-27-0, Shepherd 3-0-35-0, Pollard 1-0-11-0, Gul 2-0-14-1)
- MI Emirates: 18.3 overs – 136 (Wasim 26, Fletcher 10, Banton 7, Shakib 36, Krishnamurthy 2, Pollard 28, Tajinder 12, Shepherd 1, Ghazanfar 0, Gul 5*, Rohid 3; Payne 4-0-43-3, Tanvir 3.3-0-22-2, Nasim 4-0-18-3, Curran 2-0-24-0, Lawrence 1-0-6-0, Usman 4-0-20-2)
Result: Desert Vipers won by 46 runs
Man of the Match: Sam Curran
Man of the Tournament: Sam Curran
