In the world of T20 cricket, records are meant to be broken, and on January 27, 2025, Tom Banton made history by celebrating his second century in the International League T20 (ILT20) 2025. Tom Banton‘s explosive batting performance led MI Emirates to a resounding 154-run victory over the Desert Vipers at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. This match not only showcased Tom Banton’s prowess but also highlighted the dominance of MI Emirates as they dismantled the table-toppers with a display of sheer power and precision.
Tom Banton etched his name in DP World ILT20 history, becoming the first batter to score two centuries in the competition as MI Emirates cruised to a commanding 154-run victory over table-toppers Desert Vipers at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday, January 27. The triumph also marked the second-highest margin for a victory in the DP World ILT20 history.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi has turned out to be a paradise for batting off late, considering the average first innings total here after the first six matches of the ILT20 2025 season has amounted to 172. While fast bowlers can expect some movement with the new ball, batters can back themselves to play their strokes freely after settling in.
According to AccuWeather, the weather is expected to remain clear in Abu Dhabi during the scheduled match time. The temperature will start out around the 22° range in the opening hour, before declining to 21° for the rest of the game. With no chances of rains, fans can expect an entertaining evening of cricket at the venue.
Toss : Desert Vipers skipper Sam Curran won the toss and chose to field with one change in the playing XI as Nathan Sowter comes in for Wanindu Hasaranga. MI Emirates skipper Nicholas Pooran batting first also made one change in the playing XI bringing in Andre Fletcher for Akeal Hossein.
Tom Banton’s record breaking 105 alongside Andre Fletchers 96 powers MIE to mammoth 228 for 2 in 20 overs
The match began with Desert Vipers winning the toss and opting to bowl first. However, their decision quickly backfired as MI Emirates set the stage for an impressive innings. After losing opener Muhammad Waseem to Mohammad Amir early on, Tom Banton teamed up with Andre Fletcher to forge a remarkable partnership.
Tom Banton’s innings was characterized by explosive hitting and calculated aggression. After initially settling in, he shifted gears dramatically in the latter stages of the innings.

In a breathtaking display of power hitting, he struck three consecutive sixes off spinner Daniel Lawrence and followed it up with several boundaries that left the Vipers’ bowlers reeling. Reaching his century in just 52 balls, Tom Banton became the first player in ILT20 history to score two centuries, having previously achieved this feat only a week earlier against Sharjah Warriorz. His innings included nine fours and seven sixes, showcasing his ability to dominate bowlers across various formats.

Together, they amassed a staggering 198 runs for the second wicket, a record for the ILT20. Tom Banton’s aggressive approach saw him score 105 runs off just 55 balls, while Fletcher supported him with an unbeaten 96 runs from 50 deliveries. Their partnership was pivotal in propelling MI Emirates to a formidable total of 228 runs for the loss of just two wickets.
Tom Banton combined with Andre Fletcher to construct the highest stand for any wicket in T20s on UAE soil, amassing a staggering 198 runs. Andre Fletcher remained unbeaten on 96 runs, while Tom Banton scored 105 runs to steer the MI Emirates to a whopping 228/2 – the second highest total in the DP World ILT20 history.
3-fers from Alzarri Joseph and Muhammad Rohid Khan powers MIE to mammoth 154 run win over clueless DV
Chasing an imposing target of 229 runs, Desert Vipers fell apart spectacularly. The MI Emirates bowlers were relentless, with Muhammad Rohid Khan and Alzarri Joseph leading the charge. The Vipers lost their first wicket early and struggled to build any momentum throughout their innings.
In response, the Vipers were crushed as they could manage only a paltry 74 runs, matching the record for the lowest score across three seasons of the DP World ILT20. Muhammad Rohid made early inroads as he sent back the in-form opener Fakhar Zaman for only seven runs in the second over. Rohid went on to claim Sam Curran and Azam Khan later in the innings as well to finish with figures of 3 for 24, playing a crucial role with the ball for his team.

Meanwhile, Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed the dangerous Alex Hales, while Alzarri Joseph bagged Dan Lawrence and Adam Hose to leave the Vipers reeling at 32/5 by the end of the powerplay.
They were eventually bowled out for a mere 74 runs in just 12.3 overs, marking one of the lowest totals in ILT20 history. Only Sam Curran and Azam Khan managed to reach double figures, while several key players like Alex Hales and Daniel Lawrence failed to make significant contributions.

With only two batters crossing double figures the Vipers were eventually bowled out for 74 runs in 12.3 overs, losing the contest by a massive 154-run margin. Dan Mousley picked up two wickets, while Farooqi and Alzarri picked up a wicket each to sweep up the tail. Tom Banton’s performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, reflecting his crucial role in MI Emirates’ victory. In his post-match interview, he expressed gratitude for his team’s efforts and emphasized the importance of building partnerships under pressure.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Nicholas Pooran winning skipper of MIE said : It was very pleasing to see, the last two games were tough for us. We had some tough conversations with the players and they went out and executed exactly what we planned. Was great to see that partnership. (On leaving Hossein out) It’s tough, you’re the no.1 T20 bowler and it’s tough to leave a guy like that out. But he’s a team player, the decision had to be made.
Sam Curran losing skipper of DV said : Tough loss. It can happen in T20 cricket. We were a little off with our fielding energy. Banton played really well. It’s such a quick tournament, we reflect on it, move on and bounce back. There’s no panic whatsoever, we’re a really settled team. Was great ball-striking from them. Needed someone to fly off the blocks with the bat but it didn’t happen.
Tom Banton Player of the Match for his record breaking 105 runs said : I didn’t get off to a flier, knew the longer I stayed there the better chance I had. Sometimes you get off to a flier and sometimes you don’t. Being a top order batter in white-ball cricket, you come up against some really good bowlers so you need to have good technique.
The ball has swung and seamed more in the past couple of years. We’ve come off the back of two losses so we were under some pressure. Me and Fletcher spoke about taking it deep, special night for MI Emirates, don’t want to take it for granted.
In a one-sided contest, MI Emirates beat Desert Vipers by a huge margin of 154 runs in 22nd match of ILT20 2025. Tom Banton and Andre Fletcher stitched a 198-run partnership and powered the Emirates to a massive total of 228 runs total in the first inning. The pressure of the steep target got the better of Desert Vipers as they were bowled out for just 74 runs, leading to a humiliating defeat.
MI Emirates batted first but opener Muhammad Waseem was undone by Mohammad Amir’s ripper to get bowled in the 3rd over of the powerplay. While Waseem’s wicket seemed like a significant setback, Tom Banton and Andre Fletcher unleashed their masterclass to script a record partnership.
Both batters applied themselves and took the Vipers’ bowling attack head-on. They piled up a mammoth 198 runs for the 2nd wicket, scripting a historic partnership of the ILT20 league’s history. While Fletcher hammered 96* off 50 balls, Banton slammed his second century of the ILT20 2025 season. He unfortunately got run out on 105 off just 55 balls, including seven towering maximums.
Owing to the duo’s carnage, MI Emirates piled up a grand total of 228/2 at the end of the first 20 overs. For Desert Vipers, Sam Curran conceded 53 runs off his four overs whereas Khuzaima Tanveer leaked 45 runs.
The pressure to chase 229 runs triggered a collapse in the second inning as Desert Vipers fell like a pack of cards. Rohid Khan dismissed dangerous Fakhar Zaman with an ordinary length ball. Fakhar went for a big shot but due to lack of footwork, he holed out to short cover to lose his wicket early.
His wicket triggered a collapse as Rohid and Alzarri Joseph dismantled the middle order and Desert Vipers were down to 32/5 in the powerplay. Needless to say, the chase was an impossible task and the Vipers collapsed further.
Rohid Khan and Alzarri Joseph picked 3 wickets each whereas Fazal Farooqi and Dan Mousley chipped in with two wickets each to bowl out the Vipers for a low total of 74 runs. Besides skipper Sam Curran and Azam Khan, no batter scored in double digits. With that sensational bowling effort, MI Emirates secured a thumping 154-run win.
Absolute domination by the MI Emirates tonight. After 228 with the ball, the Vipers fold for just 74, the joint lowest total in the ILT20, to hand the Emirates a massive 154-run win. The Vipers only really have themselves to blame. They put down regulation chances earlier which allowed Tom Banton and Fletcher to decimate the bowling attack and then they came out with a pretty shambolic batting performance.
They started under tremendous pressure and just crumbled. The wickets tumbled like ninepins and there was absolutely nothing to write home about that chase. The wickets were all shared around amongst the Emirates bowlers too. The Emirates not only grab two points but their NRR also gets a massive boost. They move up to 2nd place and the Vipers stay at the top despite this debilitating defeat.