171/5 (19.4)
CR : 8.69
166/4 (20.0)
CR : 8.30
Desert Vipers won by 5 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Sam Curran
2/1752(33)
DV won by 5 wickets
11:36 PM IST, 10:06 PM Local Time: End of the game as Desert Vipers have registered a victory over Dubai Capitals by five wickets. With this win, Vipers have become the first side to qualify for the playoffs of ILT20 2025-26. They have also become the first team to win six games on the trot in ILT20 history.
Put in to bat, the Capitals struggled for fluency early on as the Vipers’ bowlers made full use of the tacky surface. Timing proved difficult in the powerplay, with the ball gripping and holding slightly. Naseem Shah set the tone with a probing opening spell, striking early to remove Jahangir, who departed cheaply after his heroics in the previous game. The pressure mounted as dot balls piled up and Leus du Plooy also found it hard to break free. At the end of six overs, the Capitals were restricted to 35 for 1, surviving but far from comfortable. Du Plooy gradually steadied the innings with a measured approach. Eschewing risk, he focused on rotating the strike and picking gaps, slowly rebuilding momentum. His effort was rewarded with a well-crafted half-century, reached off 38 balls, highlighted by six boundaries and a solitary six.
However, just as he looked set to accelerate, Sam Curran intervened, ending du Plooy’s stay at 54, an innings that provided stability but lacked a decisive push. The Vipers maintained control through the middle overs with disciplined bowling. Noor Ahmad was particularly impressive, bowling with pace through the air and making scoring difficult, while Curran’s clever variations earned him two wickets at an economical rate. Cutters and slower deliveries dominated the phase, leaving the Capitals at 94 for 4 at one stage and firmly under pressure. The complexion of the innings changed dramatically in the final five overs.
Jordan Cox injected urgency with a fearless display, finding boundaries with ease and scoring at a rate few before him had managed. His unbeaten 49 off 30 balls transformed the tempo, even as he narrowly missed out on a half-century. Brief support came from Rovman Powell, before Dasun Shanaka played the perfect finishing role, striking cleanly and running hard between the wickets. Cox and Shanaka added a rapid 50-run partnership off just 31 balls, swinging momentum decisively in the Capitals’ favour. Shanaka remained unbeaten on 29 off 18 deliveries, ensuring the innings ended on a strong note as the Capitals surged to 166 for 4.
Chasing 167, the Vipers began with measured intent under lights. The openers looked to settle quickly, mixing strike rotation with the occasional boundary to avoid early damage. Max Holden was the more fluent of the two, finding gaps and keeping the scoreboard moving during the powerplay, while his partner played a supporting role. The Capitals struck early enough to prevent the chase from running away. One of the openers fell inside the powerplay, but Holden ensured the Vipers stayed in touch with the required rate. At the end of six overs, Vipers were 50/1.
The middle phase saw the Capitals tighten their grip through disciplined bowling. The Vipers were forced to curb their aggression, relying more on singles than boundaries as the ball held slightly on the surface. Another wicket during this period checked the momentum, and although the runs continued to come, the scoring rate dipped briefly. Holden departed for a well-made 34 off 22 balls. However, Hasan Nawaz came in and set the stage on fire. He smashed three sixes before departing for 31 off 17 balls. By the end of the 11th over, Desert Vipers were 98/3 with Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence at the crease.
After that Curran took the responsibility and he stayed throughout the chase. Lawrence departed for 20 off 15 balls. Shimron Hetmyer came and smashed a few early boundaries but he got out for 18 off 17 balls.
However, Curran went on to make 52* off just 33 balls. He finished the game in style in the final over by hitting a six off Dasun Shanaka.
Capitals skipper Shanaka remained the pick of the bowlers with two wickets while Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali and Mustafizur Rahman picked up one wicket each.
With this victory, VIpers have become the first team to qualify for the playoffs of ILT20 2025. However, they still have four league games left in the tournament.
Put in to bat, the Capitals struggled for fluency early on as the Vipers’ bowlers made full use of the tacky surface. Timing proved difficult in the powerplay, with the ball gripping and holding slightly. Naseem Shah set the tone with a probing opening spell, striking early to remove Jahangir, who departed cheaply after his heroics in the previous game. The pressure mounted as dot balls piled up and Leus du Plooy also found it hard to break free. At the end of six overs, the Capitals were restricted to 35 for 1, surviving but far from comfortable. Du Plooy gradually steadied the innings with a measured approach. Eschewing risk, he focused on rotating the strike and picking gaps, slowly rebuilding momentum. His effort was rewarded with a well-crafted half-century, reached off 38 balls, highlighted by six boundaries and a solitary six.
However, just as he looked set to accelerate, Sam Curran intervened, ending du Plooy’s stay at 54, an innings that provided stability but lacked a decisive push. The Vipers maintained control through the middle overs with disciplined bowling. Noor Ahmad was particularly impressive, bowling with pace through the air and making scoring difficult, while Curran’s clever variations earned him two wickets at an economical rate. Cutters and slower deliveries dominated the phase, leaving the Capitals at 94 for 4 at one stage and firmly under pressure. The complexion of the innings changed dramatically in the final five overs.
Jordan Cox injected urgency with a fearless display, finding boundaries with ease and scoring at a rate few before him had managed. His unbeaten 49 off 30 balls transformed the tempo, even as he narrowly missed out on a half-century. Brief support came from Rovman Powell, before Dasun Shanaka played the perfect finishing role, striking cleanly and running hard between the wickets. Cox and Shanaka added a rapid 50-run partnership off just 31 balls, swinging momentum decisively in the Capitals’ favour. Shanaka remained unbeaten on 29 off 18 deliveries, ensuring the innings ended on a strong note as the Capitals surged to 166 for 4.
Chasing 167, the Vipers began with measured intent under lights. The openers looked to settle quickly, mixing strike rotation with the occasional boundary to avoid early damage. Max Holden was the more fluent of the two, finding gaps and keeping the scoreboard moving during the powerplay, while his partner played a supporting role. The Capitals struck early enough to prevent the chase from running away. One of the openers fell inside the powerplay, but Holden ensured the Vipers stayed in touch with the required rate. At the end of six overs, Vipers were 50/1.
The middle phase saw the Capitals tighten their grip through disciplined bowling. The Vipers were forced to curb their aggression, relying more on singles than boundaries as the ball held slightly on the surface. Another wicket during this period checked the momentum, and although the runs continued to come, the scoring rate dipped briefly. Holden departed for a well-made 34 off 22 balls. However, Hasan Nawaz came in and set the stage on fire. He smashed three sixes before departing for 31 off 17 balls. By the end of the 11th over, Desert Vipers were 98/3 with Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence at the crease.
After that Curran took the responsibility and he stayed throughout the chase. Lawrence departed for 20 off 15 balls. Shimron Hetmyer came and smashed a few early boundaries but he got out for 18 off 17 balls.
However, Curran went on to make 52* off just 33 balls. He finished the game in style in the final over by hitting a six off Dasun Shanaka.
Capitals skipper Shanaka remained the pick of the bowlers with two wickets while Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali and Mustafizur Rahman picked up one wicket each.
With this victory, VIpers have become the first team to qualify for the playoffs of ILT20 2025. However, they still have four league games left in the tournament.
Spinner Waqar Salamkheil receives the 'white belt' from former India pacer Munaf Patel for becoming the current leading wicket-taker of ILT20 2025-26.
Time for post-match presentations...
Dispatch of the Day: Shimron Hetmyer
Dasun Shanaka (Dubai Capitals' Skipper): "Yes, I think the toss has been a factor for us, but at the same time, we need to show more intent with the bat.
We put 166 on the board, and at the halfway stage, I felt it was a competitive total given the way our bowlers started. However, when it came to our spinners, we didn’t bowl the lengths we wanted to, and if we had executed that better, the result could have been different.
We came up against a very strong side today. Their bowling attack suits these conditions really well - they have five genuine bowling options. We had enough power in our batting, but in games like this, especially away from home, I think we were probably 10 to 15 runs short.
There’s still a long way to go in the tournament, plenty of points up for grabs, and we’ll keep pushing forward."
We put 166 on the board, and at the halfway stage, I felt it was a competitive total given the way our bowlers started. However, when it came to our spinners, we didn’t bowl the lengths we wanted to, and if we had executed that better, the result could have been different.
We came up against a very strong side today. Their bowling attack suits these conditions really well - they have five genuine bowling options. We had enough power in our batting, but in games like this, especially away from home, I think we were probably 10 to 15 runs short.
There’s still a long way to go in the tournament, plenty of points up for grabs, and we’ll keep pushing forward."
Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers Skipper): "Everybody bowled well. Sam Curran was brilliant with the ball. We have so many bowling options, and almost everyone delivers. Hasan Nawaz has a nice swing of the bat. Good to see him getting some out of the screws. We are just focusing on one match at a time for now. Later, we will see what things are needed in the knockouts."
Player of the Match: Sam Curran
Sam Curran (Player of the Match): "Honestly, it’s about winning the game. I think we’re in a really good place right now, having put together two strong performances in our last two matches.
What’s most satisfying for me is being able to read the situation and take the team over the line. It probably went a bit deeper into the final over than we would’ve liked, but it’s about staying calm and doing what the moment demands.
I’m just happy to be that guy who helps finish the job for the team, and I’m feeling a lot better because of it. In terms of selection and balance, that’s a real credit to the staff and how this franchise has been built.
We’ve kept seven players from last season, which brings a lot of consistency, clarity of roles, and confidence within the group.
The pitches have played differently across games, so we’ve been able to make small tactical changes - bringing in an extra spinner, another seamer, or an extra batter when needed. It’s a nice problem to have, and it definitely helps when you’re winning because you don’t overthink things.
The focus now is to keep improving each game and carry this momentum into the business end of the tournament."
What’s most satisfying for me is being able to read the situation and take the team over the line. It probably went a bit deeper into the final over than we would’ve liked, but it’s about staying calm and doing what the moment demands.
I’m just happy to be that guy who helps finish the job for the team, and I’m feeling a lot better because of it. In terms of selection and balance, that’s a real credit to the staff and how this franchise has been built.
We’ve kept seven players from last season, which brings a lot of consistency, clarity of roles, and confidence within the group.
The pitches have played differently across games, so we’ve been able to make small tactical changes - bringing in an extra spinner, another seamer, or an extra batter when needed. It’s a nice problem to have, and it definitely helps when you’re winning because you don’t overthink things.
The focus now is to keep improving each game and carry this momentum into the business end of the tournament."
That's it from our coverage of this ILT20 clash. This is Mohammad Anab signing off on behalf of my colleagues Dev Rajawat and Yogesh Kumar. Cheers!