Desert Vipers sealed an easy victory with help of Alex Hales and Sam Billings’ mammoth partnership, with 20 balls remaining.
In a game braided with reviews, appeals, and missed opportunities, Desert Vipers emerged victorious with a thumping seven-wicket victory against Sharjah Warriors.
Vipers opened their account in the ILT20 as they rode on Alex Hales and Sam Billings’ steady 128-run partnership to beat the Moeen Ali-led side. Hales, meanwhile, was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ with his sublime 83 off 52.
Colin Munro’s Vipers won the toss and elected to field as the Warriors’ opening duo of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Evin Lewis walked onto the field. Gurbaz looked dangerous as he tonked a six and a boundary in the first two overs.
However, Evin Lewis walked back to the pavilion after getting caught at short fine leg, giving Vipers their first wicket. He walked back for a duck as Sheldon Cottrell brought up his salute celebration.
Gurbaz continued to fire, but Vipers again had a breakthrough. The Afghan was caught by keeper Sam Billings for a quickfire 22 off 15.
Tension loomed over the Dubai International Stadium for the first few overs as Dawid Malan was dropped by Rutherford as he attempted to smack a boundary. Also, Tom Kohler-Cadmore went off the pitch to hit the ball on the second last ball of the fifth over, which went for a boundary. The umpires later declared it a dead ball and no ball.
Kohler-Cadmore was looking to amp up the scoreboard with more reasons before the end of the powerplay, but ended up being dismissed by Rohan Mustafa at 5.3 overs.
At the end of the powerplay, the Warriors scored 40/3, with Moeen Ali and Malan at the crease.
Skipper Moeen tried his best to smack boundaries, but his time was cut short by Tymal Mills on the last ball of the tenth over with 18 off 16. Malan, too, was dismissed on the last ball of the 12th over for 18.
Excitement cropped in as Vipers took a review against Joe Denly in the 12th over after Billings thought there was an edge, but lost it.
Other than their inability to capitalize on the middle overs, the Warriors were on the edge as Denly was dropped at 15.3 overs by Adam Lyth off Atkinson on 10. The bowler tried to take matters into his own hands by attempting to dismiss Denly on 14 this time, two balls later, but failed.
Mohammad Nabi aided Denly’s efforts with two consecutive sixes, plus another boundary off Curran’s bowling. Cottrell saved the last ball of the innings by saving a boundary as Nabi continued to smack. Warriors wrapped up the innings with 145/5, with Denly at 36(33) and Nabi made 34(23).
It seemed like Vipers’ openers Alex Hales and Rohan Mustafa had the target of 146 set in their minds when they walked onto the field. The latter began with two promising fours until he was dismissed by Moeen Ali after being caught by Chris Woakes on the last ball of the first over at deep square leg. Alex Hales took strike to fire a four in the second over. The over ended gloomily for the Vipers as skipper Colin Munro walked back for a second-ball duck.
The third over began with excitement as the Warriors appealed against Alex Hales for LBW. The batter survived. He built some momentum with a few fours in the fourth and fifth over and later smoked a boundary and two sixes to end the powerplay in style at 52/2.
The next few overs were steady as Vipers needed an easy 65 off 60 at the end of 10 overs. Alex Hales was a set batter now, with an established 50 off 39 balls. On the other end, Sam Billings provided an impetus but was not as charged up as Hales, who hit a game-changing 22 runs in the 15th over. Even though Billings was forced to depart with one less than his fifty in the 17th over, Hales hit the winning runs to seal the Vipers’ first victory and hand the Warriors their second loss in the tournament.
Brief Scores: Sharjah Warriors 145/5 in 20 overs (J Denly 36, M Nabi; N Howell 1/23) lost to Desert Vipers 148/3 in 16.4 overs (A Hales 83, S Billings 49; C Woakes 1/48)
