Dubai, UAE (July 27, 2026) – The Desert Vipers pulled off a crucial nine-wicket win against the San Francisco Unicorns to keep alive their chances in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL).
The Vipers were rewarded for a fantastic all-round performance, highlighted by powerful half-centuries from Player of the Match Zachary Carter and Saiteja Mukkamalla and a four-wicket haul from captain Shadab Khan.
The Unicorns won the toss and surprisingly decided to bat first despite the fact that historically in this tournament teams have preferred to chase, especially under lights. They were restricted to just 151 for seven after the Vipers produced a disciplined effort with the ball, using seven bowlers and conceding only 11 fours and six sixes.
Shadab Khan was the pick of the attack with four for 13, and that included the crucial first wicket of Connor Esterhuizen, who made an accomplished 37 as opener on a surface where it was tough to find any fluency due to spin and frequent low bounce.
Those four successes mean Shadab has a total of seven wickets for the tournament, making him joint leading wicket-taker alongside another leg-spinner, Usama Mir of the Lahore Qalandars.
Set 152 to win, Zachary Carter and Saiteja Mukkamalla – who opened in place of the injured Andries Gous – both hit half-centuries in quick time, scoring a total of five sixes and ten fours between them. Rilee Rossouw came in to finish the job after Carter was dismissed for 55, and he scored 38 off 26, while Saiteja remained unbeaten on 52 as the Vipers sailed to victory with 23 balls to spare.
Significantly, this performance has improved the Vipers’ net run rate and put them in third position on the points table ahead of the San Francisco Unicorns, both teams having a win apiece. The Vipers trail the Guyana Amazon Warriors, with six points from three wins and already through to the play-offs, and the Lahore Qalandars, who have two wins from three matches.
Here are some quotes from the Vipers Voices post-match podcast featuring Desert Vipers batter Saiteja Mukkamalla.
On contributing to an important win for the team
“It is good to contribute to the team’s win. I think the whole team did amazingly today and although the last couple of games did not go our way, I still think we played good cricket. The way the boys came out today helped me as well as it showed we had good intent with the ball and the bat, and it was a good day.”
On coming in for Andries Gous at the top of the order, and his relationship with Gous, with both players featuring for the United States of America
“He was right about the experience. It has been incredible so far and hopefully we win the next one and move through.
“He is a great cricketer. The experience that he has, I just try to learn from it. And, throughout the last couple of years I have been playing with him, it is really an honour to see how he has grown as a cricketer and how he has helped us grow.”
On batting with Zachary Carter, who was in explosive form
“I think it was all him today. The way that he played in that power play, he really killed the game there itself. And I was just watching his incredible talent from the other end thinking that he is just 19 years old; it is amazing. I am pretty sure he has a bright future ahead.”
On being surprised that the San Francisco Unicorns opted to bat first, because historically teams have preferred to chase in the GSL, especially under lights
“I think we were a bit shocked. We thought that they would put us in. I think they might have read the pitch differently, but it was a fresh surface. Maybe they had different thoughts, but I think it definitely played better in the second innings.”
On what the team spoke about on their day off heading into this must-win encounter
“I think, most importantly, we said that we knew that we played good cricket and on both previous losing days we just had moments that we let slip, but overall, we were playing well as a team and knew that with each day we were playing better and better.
“I do not think we came into today’s game thinking that it was do or die, but we just thought we want to come out there and express ourselves and play how we have been playing the last couple of games.”
On needing three wins in a row from here on for the Desert Vipers to win the title
“There is definitely a long way to go, but we are just trying to stay focused on one game at a time and I think we just want to build off the momentum that we have today. We are playing good cricket and hopefully it just carries through for the rest of the tournament.”
On the match against the Perth Scorchers in 24 hours’ time
“They are a quality side, but I think it is best if we just focus on our team and I think our team knows our strengths and how we have been playing. The way we have been playing, we have got some quality youngsters and senior guys, and I think that is what is helping us. I think we just want to carry the momentum into tomorrow’s game.”
The Desert Vipers will next face the Perth Scorchers XI on Tuesday, July 28, at 7pm local time.
