ILT20 Season 3: Zaman's 71* and Amir's Four Wickets Lead Desert Vipers to Dominant 10-Wicket Victory
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Synopsis
In an electrifying match on January 22, the Desert Vipers triumphed in ILT20 Season 3, dominating the Sharjah Warriorz with a stunning 10-wicket win. Fakhar Zaman's unbeaten 71 and Mohammad Amir's four-wicket haul were pivotal in this memorable victory at the Dubai International Stadium.
Key Takeaways
- Fakhar Zaman scored an impressive 71* off 39 balls.
- Mohammad Amir achieved a remarkable 4/24 bowling performance.
- The Desert Vipers took control of the match early.
- The Sharjah Warriorz struggled, collapsing to 91 all out.
- This victory solidified the Desert Vipers' position at the top of the standings.
Dubai, Jan 22 (NationPress) The Desert Vipers returned to their winning ways in Season 3 of ILT20 by delivering a stunning display that saw them defeat the Sharjah Warriorz, securing a resounding 10-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. The Desert Vipers' success was largely attributed to Fakhar Zaman, who scored an unbeaten 71, and Mohammad Amir's remarkable four-wicket haul, solidifying their position at the top of the standings.
The Desert Vipers wasted no time in their chase, with Alex Hales starting strong, hitting a flurry of boundaries. He struck Tim Southee for three fours and then sent Adam Milne’s delivery over the ropes, as the team raced to 20/0 within the first two overs. Zaman quickly joined in with some powerful hitting, targeting Bangladeshi pacer Junaid Siddique, cutting him for a boundary and following up with a stunning pull shot.
Zaman was clearly in form, determined not to let the bowlers settle. He launched a massive slog sweep against Ashton Agar for a six and darted down the pitch to connect on the next ball, propelling the Desert Vipers to 47 runs after five overs. In contrast, the Sharjah Warriorz struggled at 18/4 at the same point in their innings, highlighting the disparity in batting performance.
Continuing to dominate, Zaman targeted Siddique again in the seventh over, muscling the ball over long-on for another six. He reached his half-century—his second of the season—in just 30 balls.
It became increasingly clear that the Desert Vipers would comfortably chase down their target. Zaman capped off the match with a textbook slog sweep for six off Agar, followed by another six over long-on, finishing with an impressive 71* off 39 balls as the Desert Vipers sealed a commanding 10-wicket victory.
Earlier, the Desert Vipers won the toss and opted to bowl, which proved to be a brilliant decision. Amir made his presence known with the new ball, taking just four deliveries to secure his first wicket, catching Johnson Charles off his pads straight to Dan Lawrence at deep backward square. Amir claimed two wickets in his opening over, sending Avishka Fernando back to the pavilion.
Returning to dismantle the Sharjah Warriorz batting lineup, Amir capitalized on the pitch conditions, delivering a slightly shorter ball that undid Rohan Mustafa, who offered a leading edge, caught easily by Sam Curran. The Warriorz found themselves in trouble at 15/3 after three overs. The Desert Vipers maintained their aggressive bowling strategy, claiming another wicket in the fourth over as Tom Kohler-Cadmore mis-timed a shot, resulting in David Payne's first wicket.
As the batting lineup faltered, Luke Wells attempted to stabilize the innings, hitting consecutive boundaries until Wanindu Hasaranga knocked over his stumps with a superb delivery. Wells misjudged a googly, allowing Hasaranga to spin the ball in, crashing into the leg stump. The Sharjah Warriorz were reeling at 30/5, leading them to bring on Jason Roy as an Impact Sub to replace Fernando.
Roy, typically an opening batsman, found himself batting at number seven for the first time in his career but managed to slow down the run rate alongside Tim Seifert. However, Hasaranga struck again, first dismissing Seifert for a plumb lbw and then taking Agar's wicket with a stunning stumping, marking Hasaranga's 300th wicket in T20s and making him the first Sri Lankan spinner to achieve this milestone.
With the Sharjah Warriorz at 45/7, the Desert Vipers were in complete control, although they faced a setback when their captain, Lockie Ferguson, left the field after twisting his ankle. Sam Curran took over leadership duties, while Roy became the last hope for the Warriorz but lacked support as Curran dismissed Harmeet Singh and Tim Southee.
Amir returned to claim his fourth wicket as the Sharjah Warriorz were bowled out for 91 in 19.1 overs. Amir's figures of 4/24 marked the best bowling performance in Desert Vipers history, while Hasaranga's 3/10 was the most economical four-over spell in DP World ILT20.
Brief scores:
Sharjah Warriorz 91 all out in 19.1 overs (Jason Roy 30 not out, Mohammad Amir 4-24, Wanindu Hasaranga 3-10, Sam Curran 2-14) lost to Desert Vipers 95 for no loss in 10 overs (Fakhar Zaman 71 not out, Alex Hales 23 not out) by 10 wickets.
