The Desert Vipers secured a four-wicket victory against defending champions Dubai Capitals in the opening match of ILT20 Season 4 at Dubai International Stadium on December 2. The win, powered by Andries Gous’s half-century and a strong bowling performance, ended the Vipers’ six-match losing streak against the Capitals and marked their 21st victory across all seasons of the competition.The Desert Vipers’ bowlers set the tone early, with Noor Ahmad, David Payne, and Khuzaima Tanveer each claiming two wickets to restrict the Capitals to 150/8 in their 20 overs.The Capitals’ innings started poorly, losing three early wickets with Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib, and Jordan Cox falling to leave them at 32/3.Shayan Jahangir and David Willey made brief appearances before Rovman Powell’s aggressive 39 off 22 balls provided some momentum. Powell partnered with Naib for a quick 34-run stand before falling to Tanveer.
Mohammad Nabi contributed 29 runs, forming a 30-run partnership with captain Dasun Shanaka. Both batsmen fell in the final overs as the Capitals posted 150/8.In response, the Desert Vipers started strongly with openers Fakhar Zaman and Andries Gous putting on a rapid 50-run partnership. Zaman scored 26 off 15 balls before becoming Mohammad Nabi’s victim.Gous continued his aggressive batting, reaching his half-century in 32 balls with six fours and two sixes. He partnered with Max Holden for a 35-run stand before being dismissed by Waqar Salamkheil.Despite losing late wickets, Dan Lawrence and Khuzaima Tanveer guided the Vipers to victory with an over to spare, finishing at 151/6 in 19 overs.“It was a bit slow up front, but it started to get better when we were batting. I’ve come in with confidence, so it is something I want to keep going. It’s good to get that first fifty behind as we go into the rest of the tournament, they are some very good teams,” said Player of the Match Andries Gous.“I think with the ball and the bat we were not up to the mark today. We need to hold our line and length; 150-160 is the par score here. Hopefully we can come up with better plans next time,” said Dubai Capitals captain Dasun Shanaka.Waqar Salamkheil emerged as the Capitals’ most effective bowler with figures of 2/18, while Scott Currie also claimed two wickets for 36 runs.The victory established a new milestone for the Desert Vipers, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history with 21 wins across all seasons.
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