Desert Vipers secure top-two finish with dominant win over Gulf Giants

The Desert Vipers secured a top-two finish in the International League T20 (ILT20) with a commanding five-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing a modest target of 130, Max Holden anchored the innings with an unbeaten 70 off 54 balls, guiding the Vipers to victory in 19 overs.

The Gulf Giants, who struggled to build momentum after a slow start, managed only 129/8 in their innings. James Vince was dismissed for 15, and the team could only muster 31 runs in the powerplay. Wanindu Hasaranga proved to be the main tormentor, striking at crucial intervals. He bowled Tom Alsop for 17 in the seventh over and trapped Jordan Cox leg-before for just three, leaving the Giants reeling at 44/4 at the halfway mark. Khuzaima Tanveer added to their troubles by dismissing Shimron Hetmyer, while Sam Curran’s sharp return catch sent Gerhard Erasmus back to the pavilion.

Tim David attempted to counterattack by smashing a six off Lockie Ferguson in the 13th over but perished on the next ball, leaving the Giants in deep trouble at 58/6. Hasaranga continued his dominance by trapping Cox on the pads, reducing the Giants to the brink of collapse. However, Tom Curran staged a late revival, smashing a 30-ball fifty. He took on his brother, Sam Curran, in the 19th over, striking two fours and a six, before adding another 14 runs in the final over to push the total to 129/8.

The Desert Vipers’ chase began with early setbacks as Mark Adair dismissed Alex Hales and Blessing Muzarabani removed Fakhar Zaman within the powerplay. Both wickets fell to spectacular catches by Chris Jordan and Tom Curran, with the Vipers reaching 42/2 after the first six overs. Dan Lawrence departed cheaply to Jordan, but Holden, who walked in at number three, provided stability with a composed innings. He formed a 45-run partnership with Sam Curran before the latter fell to a sharp catch by James Vince off Muzarabani’s bowling.

The Vipers remained in control of the chase, though they never completely ran away with the game. With 33 needed off the last five overs, Holden reached his half-century in 42 balls, including six fours and a six. Muzarabani’s third wicket, dismissing Azam Khan, gave the Giants a slight opening, but Holden, alongside Adam Hose, ensured there were no further hiccups. The pair stitched together an unbeaten 32-run stand in 21 balls, sealing the win comfortably.

Wanindu Hasaranga was named Player of the Match for his crucial three-wicket haul. Speaking after the game, he credited his performance to sticking to his basics and utilizing variations. “I love to bowl here, even in the Asia Cup I took wickets. The fast bowlers did a great job, and the batters did their jobs, so as a team, we have done our things well,” he said in an ILT20 release.

Gulf Giants captain James Vince admitted that his team’s batting performance was below par, making it difficult to defend 130. “The first 10 overs of the batting innings put us on the back foot. At one stage, we were looking at less than 100, until Tom Curran and Aayan’s partnership gave us some relief. We fought well with the ball and took it as far as we could but fell a little short with the bat,” he reflected.