The Desert Vipers continued their unbeaten run with a thrilling last ball one-run win over MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi. MI Emirates won the toss and chose to bowl, making it the first time in Season 4 that the Vipers were batting first, and they scored 159 for four. Max Holden top scored with 42 while Fakhar Zaman made a 31-ball 35 at the top of the order.
The MI Emirates looked in control of the chase for long periods before Player of the Match David Payne turned the match on its head with three wickets in the penultimate over.
It went down to the wire as MI Emirates needed 16 in the last over and Rashid Khan took the fight to the Vipers hitting a six off Khuzaima Bin Tanveer and then a four which went through keeper Vriitya Aravind’s legs.
But the young wicketkeeper sealed the win when he pulled off a sharp run-out off the final delivery.
The side’s record now reads: played four; won four.
Match Scores:
Toss: MI Emirates
Desert Vipers: 159/4 (20 overs)
Top scorer: Max Holden 42 (37 deliveries)
MI Emirates: 158/9 (20 overs)
Top scorer: Tom Banton 34 (29 deliveries)
Match Result: Desert Vipers won by one run
Player of the Match: David Payne 4/29
Here are quotes from player of the match David Payne:
On a second narrow win in successive days:
“We do not seem to make it that easy for ourselves, do we? (We have) good games for the neutral I guess you could say!
“I felt like, after my second over (which cost 15 runs) I needed to contribute to the game because I felt like I had let the boys down, so whether that was a catch or a piece of fielding I felt I needed to contribute there.
“So, to get the opportunity in the nineteenth over (was what I wanted). I was just trying to keep the plan simple and I was really pleased I could do something right at the end.
On whether he thought the Vipers total of 159 for four was a good score:
“I thought our batters played it really well. It would have been easy to have tried to go too hard and we could have been seven, eight or nine (wickets) down going into the backend of the innings.
“We kept wickets in hand and saw Hettie (Shimron Hetmyer) hit a few to boost our total and at halfway I thought we had given ourselves a really good chance (of winning).
On the last-ball run-out by wicketkeeper Vriitya Aravind that sealed the victory:
“What a moment at the end for (Vriitya) – he will remember that forever, I am sure.
“To be the man to hit the stumps with two to win (was exceptional). The amount of times I have seen that happen and the ball miss the stumps (is numerous). I think everyone thought that it was going to be a super over as a minimum so Vriitya was fantastic.
And what about the drama of that final over?
“That last over was a rollercoaster. They started it wanting 16 so we were feeling fairly confident at that point. Then to get it down to 12 off three (balls) and you’re probably thinking we had got it in the bag.
“But with players like Rashid Khan at the crease and the world-class players we have in this tournament, games are never over until they are over.
“I thought Khuzaima was brilliant because it was such a high pressure over for him to bowl and Rashid Khan is a handy player.
“Khuzzy had the shorter leg-side boundary to defend and that was exactly what Rashid was looking to target.
“Khuzzy did so well to hold his line and mix up his pace and that is exactly what he did with that last ball. I think everyone was expecting a yorker so for him to use his slower ball tricked everyone and probably led to the run-out.
On Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, who now has six wickets in four matches:
“I thought Khuzaima was brilliant last year. When I saw him bowl then I thought ‘Wow, this is a superstar in the making.’ He has improved on that this year and is bowling fantastically well. He is such an important part of our attack and today he put in a brilliant performance.”
On captain Lockie Ferguson’s first match of the season:
“I thought he did well in his first game back. All bowlers will know what it is like to come back from a long rehab. You do all you can in the nets but there is nothing like being out in the middle.
“I am sure his body will be sore tonight but I thought the skipper was fantastic – he always is – and he led the team brilliantly.”
The Desert Vipers next play the Gulf Giants on Friday, December 12th, starting at 6:30 pm.
Tickets for all Desert Vipers matches are now available here
