All-rounder’s brilliant spell and cool finish propel team to third straight victory, lifting them to second place in the standings.
DUBAI — Shakib Al-Hasan delivered a match-winning all-round display as MI Emirates defeated league leaders Desert Vipers by four wickets in the DP World ILT20 on Sunday, securing their third consecutive victory.
Chasing a modest 125 at the Dubai International Stadium, MI Emirates overcame a shaky start thanks to a vital cameo from captain Kieron Pollard and a calm, unbeaten 17 from Shakib, who struck the winning boundary to seal the win with 15 balls to spare.
Shakib Shines with Ball and Bat
The Bangladeshi all-rounder set up the victory with an excellent bowling performance, taking 2 for 14 in his four overs to help restrict the Vipers to 124 for 8. He then returned to guide the chase home after the Emirates lost early wickets.
“It was a surface that suited the spinners,” said Shakib, named Player of the Match. “Batting wasn’t easy either… someone needed to play the anchoring role, and I was happy to take on that responsibility.”
Pollard Provides the Firepower
The chase stuttered at 35 for 2 in the powerplay, and regular wickets kept the Vipers in contention. The momentum shifted dramatically in the 15th over when Pollard smashed two sixes off spinner Qais Ahmad in a quickfire 26 off just 15 balls, tilting the game decisively in his side’s favour.
Vipers Falter with the Bat
Earlier, the Vipers’ innings never found fluency. Only England’s Dan Lawrence offered prolonged resistance with 35 off 34 balls. Tight bowling from the Emirates attack, complemented by Zahoor Khan’s 2 for 17 at the death, prevented the table-toppers from building a competitive total.
Desert Vipers’ stand-in captain Sam Curran pointed to the challenging pitch. “It was another low-scoring game on a tricky surface,” he said. “Facing a side like MI Emirates, who have high-quality spinners, made it even tougher.”
The win moves MI Emirates to second in the ILT20 table, signalling their form and credentials as the tournament approaches its climax.
