Sport
Desert Vipers win maiden ILT20 title after beating MI Emirates in final
England all-rounder Sam Curran struck an unbeaten 74 as Desert Vipers claimed their first International League T20 title, defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs.
Sent in to bat, the Vipers were reduced to 36-2 inside four overs before Curran steadied the innings with an 89-run stand for the third wicket alongside Max Holden, who scored 41 from 32 balls. Curran later added 57 with Dan Lawrence (23 off 15), who was run out on the final delivery. Curran’s 51-ball innings featured eight fours and two sixes.
Chasing the target, defending champions MI Emirates faltered early, slipping to 54-4. Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah claimed two of those wickets, including that of England’s Tom Banton, the hero of Qualifier 2 with a match-winning half-century.
MI Emirates never recovered and were eventually dismissed for 136 in 18.3 overs.
Curran ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 397 runs, while Afghanistan’s Waqar Salamkheil and UAE’s Ajay Kumar finished as joint top wicket-takers with 18 each.