Desert Vipers qualify for ILT20 playoffs after impressive five-wicket win over Dubai Capitals

Dubai, Dec 15 (PTI) Sam Curran put up an all-round show to help Desert Vipers book their place in the ILT20 playoffs with a five-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals here.

After the Capitals posted a challenging 166 for 4, the Vipers rode on the all-round performance of Curran to seal the win. The Englishman took two crucial wickets with the balls, and followed it up with an unbeaten 52 off 33 balls, smashing two fours and three sixes.

Max Holden (34 off 22) set the tempo early, with Fakhar Zaman (14 off 12) providing brief support before Mustafizur Rahman struck in the fifth over to take his wicket.

Despite the breakthrough, Holden kept his cool, allowing the Vipers to reach 50/1 at the end of the powerplay.

Vipers needed 79 runs in 60 balls by the end of the 10th over. Curran and Dan Lawrence (20 off 15) took control in the middle overs, keeping the Desert Vipers ahead of the required rate. The duo stitched a 32-run partnership before Lawrence fell in the 14th over off Dasun Shanaka’s bowling.

With Curran anchoring one end and Shimron Hetmyer joining the assault, the Vipers surged to the victory with five wickets to spare.

Earlier, the Capitals suffered an early setback when Naseem Shah removed Shayan Jahangir (7 off 7) in the third over, but Leus du Plooy (54 off 44) kept the innings steady with well-timed boundaries.

The turning point came in the 14th over, when Curran removed du Plooy in the deep and then dismissed Rovman Powell for a golden duck off the very next ball. Those back-to-back wickets stalled the Capitals at 94/4 and swung momentum firmly back towards the bowling side. PTI APA KHS KHS