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Wed, Jan 14, 2026 | Rajab 25, 1447 | Fajr 05:45 | DXB 
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Shakib Al Hasan leads MI Emirates to four-wicket win over table-topping Desert Vipers
The Desert Vipers managed to score 124 courtesy Dan Lawrence’s gritty 35 off 34 balls, but MI Emirates navigated a tricky chase with relative ease
MI Emirates continued their fine run in the DP World ILT20 Season 4, registering a composed four-wicket victory over table-toppers Desert Vipers at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday to claim their third consecutive win.
After a disciplined bowling display restricted the Vipers to a modest total, MI Emirates held their nerve in a tricky chase, with Kieron Pollard and Shakib Al Hasan steering the side home under pressure.
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The Desert Vipers managed to score 124 courtesy Dan Lawrence’s gritty 35 off 34 balls, but MI Emirates navigated a tricky chase with relative ease. With the ball, spinner Shakib Al Hasan’s two wickets for 14 runs led the charge and kept the Vipers in check, before Zahoor Khan’s death bowling ensured the total remained below par.
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In reply, MI Emirates stumbled in the powerplay and lost momentum in the middle overs, but Pollard’s 26 off 15 balls flipped the contest decisively. Even after his dismissal, Shakib held firm to see the chase through, striking the winning boundary to complete a controlled four-wicket win with 15 balls to spare.
MI Emirates endured a slow powerplay, as the Vipers applied sustained pressure. David Payne set the tone early, removing Jonny Bairstow (5 off 5), while Lockie Ferguson struck to dismiss Muhammad Waseem (18 off 13). They finished the powerplay with 35/2 on the board.
Chasing 125, MI Emirates were immediately put under pressure. David Payne dismissed Jonny Bairstow (5 off 5) early, while Lockie Ferguson accounted for Muhammad Waseem (18 off 13), leaving the side 35 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. The momentum continued to stall in the middle overs as the Vipers’ bowlers maintained tight lines and picked up regular wickets.
Nicholas Pooran (17 off 17) briefly counterattacked with a pair of sixes before being trapped lbw by Lawrence, while Tom Banton (10 off 10) was bowled by a sharp delivery from Qais Ahmad. With the chase finely poised, Pollard turned the game decisively in MI Emirates’ favour, launching Qais for two towering sixes in the 15th over.
Pollard’s brisk 26 off 15 balls shifted the momentum, and although he was eventually dismissed by Matiullah Khan, Shakib held firm at the other end. The experienced all-rounder anchored the innings with a calm unbeaten 17 off 25 balls, anchoring the finish before striking the winning boundary off Matiullah to close the chase at 124/6 in 17.3 overs.
In the first innings, the Vipers made a subdued start in the powerplay, as Chris Woakes was excellent up front, conceding just 15 runs from his three overs. Allah Ghazanfar struck the key blow by removing Max Holden (20 off 18). Fakhar Zaman (13 off 13) tried to build momentum, but the lack of boundaries and regular dots ensured the Vipers were restricted to 35/1 after six overs.
MI Emirates tightened their grip through the middle overs as Shakib Al Hasan struck twice in a miserly spell to remove Zaman and Sam Curran (4 off 4), conceding just eight runs in two overs. Arab Gul added to the pressure by dismissing Hasan Nawaz (13 off 19), leaving the Vipers reeling after losing three wickets in as many overs and the score at 54/4 at the halfway mark of their innings.
Lawrence and Jason Roy (14 off 18) showed intent in patches, adding a cautious stand of 42 runs in 40 balls, but boundaries were scarce. Shakib capped an outstanding spell, leaving the Vipers with little impetus. Zahoor Khan delivered a decisive final over, finishing with two for 17, as regular wickets in the death overs ensured the Vipers were kept in check, leaving MI Emirates a manageable target of 125 to seal the chase.
“It was a surface that suited the spinners, and the focus was on hitting the right areas consistently. I was able to do that today, which was pleasing. I’m glad it helped the team. Batting wasn’t easy on this pitch either," said player of the match Shakib Al Hasan.
"With so many powerful hitters in our lineup, someone needed to play the anchoring role, and I was happy to take on that responsibility to make sure we finished the chase," he added.
Meanwhile, Desert Vipers stand-in skipper Sam Curran said, “It was another low-scoring game on a tricky surface. The pitch was slow, and facing a side like MI Emirates, who have high-quality spinners with a lot of variation, made it even tougher. Despite that, I thought our bowlers put in a strong effort. With qualification already secured, we chose to rotate the squad, and what happened to Lockie reinforces the importance of managing workloads.”
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