Desert Vipers Captain Sam Curran believes the Desert Vipers have been the strongest team in the tournament this season – but that counts for nothing if the team cannot lift the trophy.
Speaking to the Vipers Voices podcast a day ahead of the DP World ILT20 final against MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium, Sam said he knew that, despite winning a record eight matches in the league stage of the campaign, success or failure still came down to the final match.
“Tomorrow is a huge game for the Vipers and we would love to have our name on the trophy, which I think we would like to say we deserve, but nothing is given to you in this game,” he said.
“I think we have to use the experience of what we have learnt and hopefully I think this season, winning eight out of ten group games and then having a really strong qualification game in Abu Dhabi, means we have played very well.
“I think we have done all the right things and I really hope tomorrow can be another good performance for us.”
Sam Curran has been a part of several finals in his career, most notably at the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, where he was player of the tournament. And the Vipers captain said he would draw from those experiences ahead of the upcoming final.
“Tonight I will probably go to bed thinking about those big games, and of how you prepare for them. I think the best thing is to treat it like any other game. I think you have got to enjoy the occasion, but there will be a different feel to it.
“The guys will be nervous and excited, but when you have played in big games I think you can learn from how you did in those. Even last year we lost but we still played in a final and that in itself is a huge achievement.
“I think Moods (Desert Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody) actually mentioned to me the other day that when you get to a final it is about enjoying it. It is a great achievement and hopefully it all falls into place but our team is hugely experienced with so many internationals (players).
“A couple of the UAE guys have had breakthrough seasons for us. Khuzaima (Bin Tanveer) has been special and he will be excited for tomorrow. I guess it is just an exciting time and I am sure everyone at the Vipers is going to be very excited like I am.”
Sam Curran has had to take up captaincy duties with the exit of regular leader Lockie Ferguson due to injury. He has slipped into the role with great success, and said it was something he was enjoying.
“I think I have enjoyed it,” he said. “I am trying to read the game as well as I can being an all-rounder. Fozzy (Head Coach James Foster) and Moods (Tom Moody) have let me do my own thing on the field and trusted what I have done, obviously with their help and guidance as well.
“I go a lot on gut feel on the field and I am not a huge planner in terms of worrying about what the pitch is going to do and things like that.
“I will just try and wake up tomorrow and have a little look at the opposition but hopefully react on what is in front of us. I am sure it will be a full house tomorrow and hopefully a really nice pitch.
“MI Emirates are a great team but I will not be worrying about the opposition; instead, I will just be trying to rely on the way I see the game at various moments and when I am batting, bowling or on the field marshalling the lads. I am excited that we have played so well and are in a good spot.”
“We have got a great group of lads playing on the field and I have had a lot of help (in my captaincy) from guys like Dan Lawrence and other experienced players, like Jason Roy and Fakhar (Zaman), and all the guys who are on the field. So, it has been great and hopefully just that one more tomorrow which we are all excited for.”
MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard said after his team reached the finals by beating Abu Dhabi Knight Riders that the pressure was now all on the Desert Vipers. Sam Curran believed that was just a pre-final tactic.
“He is playing a bit of mind games,” laughed Sam. “I know him pretty well and we share some banter. We saw in the qualifier that there was a bit of competitive niggle on the pitch which was great. We both really want to win.
“I guess we have been the strongest team throughout the group but that does not really matter now. I think we take huge confidence from that, but we will see if I am speaking to you after the game in a good or bad mood and whether the mind games worked. For now I think it is just all excitement.”
The Desert Vipers take on MI Emirates in the DP World ILT20 Season 4 final on January 4, at Dubai International Stadium from 6:30 pm.
