Third time finally brought joy for the Desert Vipers, who sealed their maiden DP World ILT20 title with a dominant 46-run win over MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
The breakthrough triumph was fittingly inspired by captain Sam Curran, whose all-round, tournament-defining display earned him MVP honours. After falling short in the final in the previous two seasons, the Vipers produced a performance that reflected their consistency across the campaign. They lost only two league-stage matches, outplayed MI Emirates in Qualifier 1, and repeated the feat in the final to claim the title in emphatic fashion.
Batting first, Desert Vipers posted a solid 182 for 4, built around Curran’s assured unbeaten 74. The left-hander struck eight fours and two sixes, pacing his innings with maturity to control the middle overs before accelerating late. Max Holden provided valuable support with 41 off 32 balls, Fakhar Zaman set the tone up front, and Dan Lawrence added impetus at the death. MI Emirates used eight bowlers in an attempt to stem the flow, with Fazalhaq Farooqi the most effective.
Curran’s influence extended well beyond the final. He finished the tournament with 397 runs, three half-centuries, seven wickets and 10 catches, claiming both the Red Belt for Most Valuable Player and the Green Belt for Best Batter — a rare double that highlighted his importance to the Vipers’ title run.
The Vipers’ bowlers then ensured the chase never gathered momentum. Naseem Shah struck twice in the powerplay, while Khuzaima Tanveer and Usman Tariq tightened the screws through the middle overs. Although a brief stand between Shakib Al Hasan and Kieron Pollard threatened resistance, David Payne’s strikes through the lower order wrapped up the contest, with MI Emirates bowled out for 136 in 18.3 overs.
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