Desert Vipers clinch thrilling victory over MI Emirates

The Desert Vipers secured victory in the DP World ILT20 clash, winning by two-wickets in Sharjah.

The game came down to the final ball with the Vipers scoring 150 for 8 in 20 overs, while MI Emirates managed 149 for 9 in 20 overs.

MI Emirates’ batting cracked against the tight bowling of Mohammad Amir (3 for 26), Luke Wood (2 for 32) and Matheesha Pathirana (2 for 32). Their total was shaped by Ambati Rayudu and Akeal Hosein’s 49-run partnership in 45 deliveries for the fifth wicket through knocks of 23 and 24 runs respectively. Tim David’s cameo of 28 off 14 balls gave some respectability to the total.

Chasing the target, Vipers’s opener Rohan Mustafa went for his shots and scored 18 runs with two boundaries and a six before being bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi. UAE’s left-arm pacer Muhammad Rohid struck twice in the fifth over to clean bowl opener Alex Hales for 3 and had Adam Hose brilliantly caught by a leaping Bravo at first slip for a duck. Farooqi picked the price wicket of skipper Colin Munro caught behind by wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran for 4.

Vipers’s Sherfane Rutherford scored a quick 35 runs after taking 17 runs off Trent Boult’s 17th over with a six and two boundaries. Then Dwayne Bravo had Rutherford caught by Kusal Perera at mid-on off a slower delivery. Shaheen Afridi (17n.o) and Luke Wood (6n.o) took up the challenge of scoring 17 runs from the last 12 balls and ten off the last over from Boult to win off the last ball. They ran for the three runs needed to win of the last ball. 

"It feels great to get a win and those two points. There were a couple of rash shots, but I can't fault the intent; but we gotta be a little bit smarter.  It’s always nice to win those tight games," said winning captain Colin Munro.

Player of the Match Mohammad Amir summed it up as "an interesting game".

"I am happy I did something for the team as I thought Rutherford would be the player of the match. We bowled in partnership, and it is important to communicate with each other. Also, Shaheen and me are sharing the experience, and that helps," he added.

Losing skipper Nicholas Pooran remained hopeful despite admitting to falling short of 10-15 runs. "In all honesty, we felt we could make it an interesting game if we could get a couple of early wickets. It is a tough one to swallow though. We'll definitely rebuild. It just wasn't enough today."

Final scores:

MI Emirates 149 for 9 in 20 overs (Ambati Rayudu 23, Akeal Hosein 24, Tim David 28, Mohammad Amir 3 for 26, Luke Wood 2 for 32, Matheesha Pathirana 2 for 32) Desert Vipers 150 for 8 in 20 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 26, Azam Khan 20, Sherfane Rutherford 35, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 23, Muhammad Rohid 3 for 21, Dwayne Bravo 2 for 30)