A late fightback in the batting department went in vain as Desert Vipers succumbed to a 30-run defeat against MI Emirates in their eighth match of International League T20 (ILT20) 2024 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, February 4.
The Vipers rode on Mohammad Amir’s impressive bowling spell (2/29) to restrict MI Emirates to 188/5 in their 20 overs. Later, the Vipers’ batters fought hard till the very end but fell short by a few runs.
Earlier, the Vipers’ captain Colin Munro won the toss and opted to field first.
Left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir provided the Vipers with an early breakthrough as he cleaned up MI Emirates opener Muhammad Waseem (7) in the third over.
Andre Fletcher and Kusal Perera later added 30 runs before the Vipers’ debutant Nathan Sowter removed Fletcher (11) to pick up his first ILT20 wicket.
Ambati Rayudu joined Perera at the crease for MI Emirates. The duo forged a 75-run stand for the third wicket.
In the 16th over, star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga bagged the huge wicket of Perera (65) to reduce MI Emirates to 127/3.
Rayudu and Nicholas Pooran then stitched a 36-run partnership before Amir trapped the Indian batter in front of the stumps.
In the final few overs, Pooran hit a few boundaries before Matheesha Pathirana dismissed him for 39 as MI Emirates posted 188/5 in their allotted overs.
Chasing 189, the Vipers got off to a challenging start as Rohan Mustafa, Alex Hales, Adam Hose and Munro departed in the first four overs.
Batting at number six, Azam Khan slammed Trent Boult for three boundaries in the fifth over.
However, Azam’s 10-ball 19 came to an end as he fell to Fazalhaq Farooqi.
The Vipers then lost their sixth wicket as Hasaranga was dismissed by Waqar Salamkheil shortly after.
In desperate need of a partnership, the Vipers drafted in Sherfane Rutherford as a super-sub in place of Nathan Sowter.
Rutherford and Ali Naseer played some scintillating shots to keep the Vipers in the game.
In the 12th over, the pair’s 37-run partnership ended as Rutherford departed for 18.
Luke Wood joined Ali Naseer at the crease. The duo established a crucial partnership to keep the Vipers’ hopes alive.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Ali Naseer played a fantastic knock as he notched up his maiden T20 fifty.
Despite Naseer and Wood’s incredible 73-run partnership, the Vipers fell short by 30 runs.
With six points from eight matches, the Vipers are still placed third in the ILT20 2024 standings.
The Vipers will aim to return to winning ways when they face Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday, February 9.
Brief Scores
MI Emirates 188/5 in 20 overs (Kusal Perera 65, Ambati Rayudu 44, Mohammad Amir 2/29) beat Desert Vipers 158/8 in 20 overs (Ali Naseer 63*, Luke Wood 30, Fazalhaq Farooqi 4/31) by 30 runs
