Desert Vipers clinched their second consecutive victory in the ILT20 Season 3, defeating the Gulf Giants by six wickets at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.
An unbeaten 42 from all-rounder Sam Curran, coupled with Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive 40 off 18 balls, ensured a comfortable chase for the Vipers, who reached their target of 120 in 17.4 overs.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Gulf Giants, after being put into bat, struggled against the Vipers’ formidable bowling attack. Skipper Lockie Ferguson led the charge, taking three wickets, while Mohammad Amir picked up two, restricting the Giants to 119/9 in their 20 overs.
James Vince was the lone warrior for the Giants, scoring an unbeaten 76 off 62 balls, while the rest of the batting lineup faltered.
The Vipers’ chase began shakily, with Mark Adair removing Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence in the second over. However, a steady partnership between Sam Curran and Alex Hales, who added 49 runs, stabilised the innings. Hales departed for 20 off 30 balls, but Curran continued to anchor the chase, finding the boundaries at crucial moments.
Sherfane Rutherford joined Curran in the middle and launched a blistering assault, smashing two sixes and a four in the 18th over to seal the win. Curran finished unbeaten on 42 from 43 balls, including four fours and a six, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Earlier, Gulf Giants struggled to build momentum after losing early wickets. Amir struck in the first over, trapping Adam Lyth lbw, while Ferguson and Curran added to the Giants’ woes by dismissing Rehan Khan and Jordan Cox.
Despite Vince’s measured innings, the Giants found little support from the lower order. UAE’s Aayan Afzal Khan provided a brief respite with a 33-run stand, but his dismissal by Luke Wood in the 15th over ended any hopes of a substantial total. Vince fought valiantly, bringing up a half-century off 47 balls and adding a few late boundaries to push the Giants to 119/9.
Reflecting on his performance, Sam Curran said, “It is nice to be here for the start of the tournament and it is nice to win on a tricky pitch. It was almost a bit of a Test match out there, trying to trust your defence. I knew they are going to go for their best seam bowlers at the top, so had to adjust accordingly.”
Gulf Giants skipper James Vince acknowledged the challenging conditions. “It was a tough gig batting first, there seemed to be a bit more moisture in the wicket than the last game. 120 is always going to be tough to defend. We needed a bit of luck going our way on a wicket like that. If we had held onto our chances, it could have been a bit tricky for them,” he said.
Desert Vipers now stand as strong contenders in the competition, with their bowlers and middle order proving decisive in back-to-back victories.
Brief Scores
- Gulf Giants: 119/9 in 20 overs (James Vince 76, Aayan Afzal Khan 15, Lockie Ferguson 3 for 22, Mohammad Amir 2 for 23)
- Desert Vipers: 121/4 in 17.4 overs (Sam Curran 42 not out, Sherfane Rutherford 40 not out, Mark Adair 2 for 12, Tymal Mills 1 for 23)
