NEW DELHI: Desert Vipers displayed an impressive all-round performance, securing a comprehensive 53-run victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ongoing ILT20 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Alex Hales‘ half-century, Nathan Sowter‘s three-wicket haul, and Luke Wood‘s exceptional fielding efforts, including three stunning catches, played pivotal roles in the Vipers’ triumph.
Batting first, the Vipers posted a formidable total of 193/5, thanks to Hales’s solid 58 and valuable contributions from Dan Lawrence (49) and Azam Khan (21 off 9 balls).
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
The Knight Riders’ chase got off to a promising start, with Joe Clarke scoring a half-century, but a middle-order collapse triggered by Sowter’s strikes and Wood’s exceptional catches derailed their pursuit.
The Vipers’ victory extended their unbeaten streak to four matches, propelling them to the top of the points table with eight points.
The match also marked the Dubai International Stadium’s celebration of the Vipers’ second annual Sustainability Match, where initiatives were implemented to reduce the environmental impact of cricket matches.
Player of the Match, Luke Wood, expressed his delight at receiving the award for his outstanding fielding efforts, stating that he was simply trying to take the catches and hoping for assistance from his teammates when required.
“This has never happened before (winning the award for fielding). I was just trying to get under those catches. You just try to take the catch and hope to get a team-mate for an assist. I’m glad Payne was there to complete that (Russell’s) catch,” Wood said.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain, Sunil Narine, acknowledged the quality of the pitch and backed his batters to chase down the target, adding, “It was a good wicket and we backed our batters to get the total any day. When there’s a short side, you try to attack it. They did it better. We lost 3-4 wickets in two overs and that put us on the back foot.”
