Desert Vipers finally ended the long wait for their maiden ILT20 title as they clinched their maiden crown by beating MI Emirates in the final of the 2025/26 season on Sunday, January 5.
Captain Sam Curran starred with the bat while bowlers struck in unison as Vipers put up a brilliant all-round performance to beat the 2023/24 champions by 46 runs. Curran scored an unbeaten 51-ball 74, while Max Holden and Dan Lawrence contributed well as Vipers put up 182/4 in their 20 overs.
Emirates were never in the run chase as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Naseem Shah struck the first two blows, removing Andre Fletcher and Tom Banton for cheap scores.
Khuzaima Tanveer and Usman Tariq then joined to get two of the next three wickets, while Shah then removed Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard for a run-a-ball 28.
David Payne then took three wickets in an over, clearing the lower-middle order before Tanveer got the final wicket of Muhammad Rohid Khan to take Vipers to their first-ever ILT20 win after they lost two finals previously.
What prize money did Vipers take home?
Meanwhile, Desert Vipers bagged a handsome prize money of $7,00,000 (Rs 6.3 crore) for winning the ILT20 title. This was more than twice the reward Emirates took home for being the runners-up. The losing finalists took home $3,00,000 (Rs 2.7 crore).
Who all bagged other rewards
Sam Curran was the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament. He ended the ILT20 as the leading run-getter with 397 runs in 12 innings. Curran also took seven wickets in 11 innings in the tournament.
Mohammad Waseem was named the best UAE player and received a blue belt. Curran was the Most Valuable Player and got a red belt. He was also the best batter and received a green belt for it.
For taking 18 wickets in 11 innings, left-arm wrist spinner Waqar Salamkhei received the white belt for being the top bowler of the season. Allah Ghazanfar won a bicycle for having taken the best catch in the tournament.
