In a historic night for cricket in the Gulf, the Desert Vipers have been crowned champions of the DP World ILT20 for the very first time. They secured a commanding 46-run victory over MI Emirates in a thrilling final played in front of a capacity crowd at the Dubai International Stadium.
Curran Leads from the Front in Commanding Batting Display
After being put into bat, the Vipers posted a formidable total of 182 for 4 in their 20 overs. The innings was masterfully anchored by their inspirational captain, Sam Curran. The English all-rounder played a match-defining knock, remaining unbeaten on 74 runs from just 51 deliveries. His innings, laced with eight fours and two sixes, provided the backbone for the Vipers' total.
Curran found excellent support from opener Max Holden, who scored a fluent 41 off 32 balls. The pair stitched together a crucial 89-run partnership after the Vipers lost both openers early. Dan Lawrence provided late fireworks with a quickfire 23 from 15 balls to push the score past 180. For the MI Emirates bowling attack, Fazalhaq Farooqi was the most successful bowler, finishing with figures of 2 for 33.
Bowlers Seal the Deal with Clinical Performance
In response, the MI Emirates chase never truly gained momentum against a disciplined and aggressive Vipers bowling attack. Naseem Shah led the charge with a brilliant spell, taking 3 wickets for just 18 runs and removing both openers inside the powerplay.
Despite a fighting 50-run partnership between Shakib Al Hasan (36) and captain Kieron Pollard (28), the Emirates kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Spinner Usman Tariq (2 for 20) broke the dangerous stand by dismissing Shakib, which proved to be a decisive moment. David Payne (3 for 42) and Khuzaima Tanveer (2 for 22) then ripped through the lower order, bundling out MI Emirates for 136 in 18.3 overs.
Triumph, Awards, and a Spectacular Night
The victory earned the Desert Vipers a winner's prize purse of USD 700,000 and the prestigious championship Black Belt. The runners-up, MI Emirates, received USD 300,000. The final was preceded by a spectacular pre-match show featuring fireworks and a drone display, creating a carnival-like atmosphere for the season's grand finale.
Captain Sam Curran capped off a remarkable individual tournament by sweeping the major awards. He was named the Most Valuable Player (Red Belt) and the Best Batter (Green Belt) for the season, having scored 397 runs and taken 7 wickets along with 10 catches.
Speaking after being named Player of the Match, a jubilant Curran said, "I was nervous coming into the final, but the players, management and owners have been outstanding. Losing Gous to injury tested us, but it showed the strength of our group. We’ve been the most consistent team this season, and I think we deserved the trophy."
MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard graciously accepted defeat, stating, "In a final, small moments matter. We didn’t start sharply enough in the field, and losing early wickets hurt us. The Vipers deserved to win, but overall it’s been a fantastic tournament for us."
Other individual awards saw Waqar Salamkheil of Dubai Capitals claim the White Belt for Best Bowler with 18 wickets, while MI Emirates' Muhammad Waseem won the Blue Belt for Best UAE Player for a record fourth consecutive season.
