An unbeaten knock of 42 runs from all-rounder Sam Curran orchestrated a comfortable run chase for the Desert Vipers. Sam Curran was assisted by Sherfane Rutherford who finished with 40 runs in 18 balls to bring the Vipers home in 17.4 overs. It was a second-consecutive win for the Vipers in the DP World International League T20, with an unbeaten 42-run knock from all-rounder Sam Curran anchoring their chase. Sherfane Rutherford added some fireworks with 40 runs off only 18 balls, helping his side reach their target of 120 in 17.4 overs.
The Desert Vipers defeated the Gulf Giants by six wickets in a low scoring affair to complete their second consecutive victory in the ILT20 at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday. The bowlers set the tone for the Vipers early, as captain Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Amir dismantled the Giants’ batting order.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The surface at the Dubai International Stadium tends to be on the slower side for the batters, but this surface offers good pace and bounce also, allowing batters to play their strokes with confidence and get full value for their shots. While the pitch is expected to provide more assistance to spinners than fast bowlers. Pacers will need to make use of the new ball to secure early wickets before the batsmen settle in and score big.
According to AccuWeather, the weather will be sunny to partly cloudy and pleasant. The temperature will be in-between 24°C-15°C and there is 2% chance of rain during the game.
Toss : Desert Vipers skipper Lockie Fergusson won the toss and chose to bowl with a mix of experience and local players in the playing XI. Gulf Giants skipper James Vince batting first would like to score big in the first innings to give challenge to Desert Vipers.
Skipper James Vince 76* carries Gulf Giants to 119 for 9 after rival skipper Lockie Ferguson’s 3-fer and bowlers rip apart GG batting
While batting first the Gulf Giants lost early wickets with Amir tapping Adam Lyth, LBW, as early as the first over. Soon after, Ferguson scalped Rehan Khan, while Jordan Cox was dismissed by Curran to leave the Giants in hot water at 32/3 in six overs. Opener James Vince played a measured innings, taking few chances and frequently rotating the strike. However, he struggled to find support with wickets tumbling around him.

James Vince side struggled after losing wickets early on. Amir trapped Adam Lyth LBW in the first over, and Lockie Ferguson removed Rehan Khan and Shimron Hetmyer soon after. By the sixth over, the Giants were reeling at just 32/3.
Wanindu Hasaranga cleaned up Ollie Robinson for a duck in the sixth over while Ferguson returned to the attack to pick up the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer and Mark Adair for single figures. At 50/6, Vince found brief support in UAE’s Aayan Afzal Khan, who scored 15 off 18 and launched Hasaranga for the first six of the game during a 36-run stand. Vince provided a measure of stability, however, rotating the strike and finding late boundaries. Aayan Afzal Khan briefly offered some support, contributing 15 runs off 18 balls in a 36-run stand.

However, Khan’s dismissal in the 15th over by Luke Wood further dented the Giants’ efforts. Amir then picked off Saghir Khan with a clever slower delivery, leaving Vince to fight a lone battle. In the 18th over, James Vince took down Luke Wood for 15 runs, bringing up a 47-ball half century in the process. Vince retained strike for the final two overs squeezing a couple more boundaries to place the Giants at 119/9 in 20 overs.
Ferguson claimed three wickets, Amir two, as the Giants were restricted to 119/9 in 20 overs. Skipper James Vince fought valiantly, scoring an unbeaten 76 off 62 balls, but lacked support as the wickets fell at regular intervals.
Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford shine as Desert Vipers record second-consecutive ILT20 win
The Desert Vipers’ were rattled in the second over of their run chase as Mark Adair accounted for Fakhar Zaman and the in-form Dan Lawrence. The English duo of Alex Hales and Sam Curran saw the Vipers through the powerplay, delicately placed at 22/2.
While Hales was the more reserved of the two, Sam Curran broke the shackles in the seventh over with a six over extra cover and a four off Daniel Worrall. Sam Curran and Hales steadied the ship, combining for 49 runs before Blessing Muzarabani got the all-important breakthrough of Alex Hales. Hales scored 20 runs in 30 balls.

Chasing 120, the Vipers faced early setbacks when Mark Adair dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence in the second over. Sam Curran and Alex Hales then managed to steady the ship, adding 49 runs for the third wicket, before Sam Curran let loose in the seventh over, smashing a six and a four off Daniel Worrall. Hales fell for 20 runs off 30 balls and then Azam Khan departed for just seven, leaving the Vipers on 66/4 in 12.2 overs.

Azam Khan miscued Tymal Mills’ shorter one to depart for seven runs and leave the score at 66/4 in 12.2 overs. Every time the pressure built; Curran found a boundary to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Sherfane Rutherford joined the run chase as the Vipers cruised towards the target. The pair put on 55 runs in 32 balls as Rutherford struck two sixes and a four in the 18th over to chase down the target of 120 in 17.4 overs. Sam Curran remained unbeaten on 42 runs in 43 balls including four fours and a six.
Presentations and Road Ahead
James Vince the losing GG skipper said : 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.
Lockie Ferguson the winning DV skipper said : A tough wicket to bat on that. Excellent effort from the boys, first with the ball and the way Sam played with the bat, it was amazing. The guys are very clear which makes my job easier and as a group we are really confident.
Sam Curran Player of the Match for his innings said : Nice to be here for the start of the tournament. Nice win on a tricky pitch. It was almost a bit of Test match cricket out there, trying to trust your defence. I knew they are gonna go for their best seam bowlers at the top, so had to adjust accordingly.
Defending a below par total of 120, Gulf Giants needed to hold onto their chances, but they didn’t. Dropped as many as 4 catches and missed a run-out chance as well. Mark Adair bowled 4 on the trot and did the early damage by picking up Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence.
Sam Curran, however, used all his experience and held one end to see his team get past the winning line. He built a near-fifty run stand with Hales (dropped twice) and Rutherford’s cameo in the end was the perfect icing on the cake for the Vipers. It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on, but the damage was pretty much done in the first half.
England all-rounder Sam Curran made an unbeaten 42 to guide Desert Vipers to a six-wicket win over Gulf Giants in the International League T20. Chasing 120, Sam Curran came to the crease at 7-2 but shared 49 with Alex Hales (20), 10 with Azam Khan and then an unbroken 55 with Sherfane Rutherford (40* off 18).
Sam Curran’s 42 came off 43 balls with four fours and one six. Giants had posted 119-9 with James Vince making an unbeaten 76 off 62 balls. Aayan Khan was the only other Giants batter to make double figures. Vipers are top of the table with two wins from two, while Giants are fifth after two defeats.