Six in six for Vipers as they seal playoffs spot

Halfway through the league stage of the ILT20 2025-26, Desert Vipers became the first team to seal a playoffs spot with their sixth consecutive win on Sunday (December 14). Sam Curran produced an all-round effort as Vipers chased down Dubai Capitals' 166/4 with five wickets in hand and a ball to spare.

Asked to bat, Capitals lost Shayan Jahangir early and were restricted to 35/1 in the powerplay. Gulbadin Naib and Leus du Plooy added 39 before Noor Ahmad dismissed Naib. At the halfway mark, Capitals were 68/2.

Du Plooy accelerated to a 38-ball fifty but Curran turned the innings with a double-wicket over, removing du Plooy and Rovman Powell off successive deliveries. Jordan Cox and Dasun Shanaka then powered a strong finish with an unbroken 72-run stand off 40 balls.

In the chase, Max Holden set the tone with a brisk start, hitting six fours in the powerplay. Fakhar Zaman fell early, but Vipers reached 50 in six overs. Holden was dismissed for 34, and despite Hasan Nawaz hitting three sixes, Vipers were 88/3 after 10 overs.

Dan Lawrence and Curran steadied the innings before Lawrence fell in the 14th over. Shimron Hetmyer provided momentum with a four and a six. Needing 31 from the final four overs, Curran struck key boundaries, including two fours off David Willey and a six off Muhammad Jawadullah.

With three required in the final over, Hetmyer fell to Shanaka, but Curran sealed the win with a six off the fourth ball, completing a 33-ball fifty.

Brief scores: Dubai Capitals 166/4 in 20 overs (Leus du Plooy 54, Jordan Cox 49*; Sam Curran 2-17) lost to Desert Vipers 171/5 in 19.4 overs (Sam Curran 52*, Max Holden 34; Dasun Shanaka 2-19) by 5 wickets.