The 2025-26 International League T20 kicked off with an exciting contest in Dubai as Desert Vipers defeated Dubai Capitals by 4 wickets in the opening clash of the tournament. After being asked to bat, Dubai Capitals managed a total of 150 for 8 in their 20 overs, but it proved insufficient against a determined Desert Vipers chase.
Dubai Capitals Innings
Dubai Capitals struggled to build momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. Openers Sediqullah Atal (16) and Shayan Jahangir (19) got a decent start but failed to convert them into substantial contributions. Gulbadin Naib was dismissed for a duck, while Jordan Cox managed to score 2 runs. David Willey played cautiously, scoring 10 runs.
Rovman Powell rescued the innings with a blistering 39 off 22 balls, including four boundaries and two maximums. Mohammad Nabi supported him well with 29 off 23 balls, steadying the innings. Dasun Shanaka scored 12 in the final over, while Scott Currie and Haider Ali added 5 and 4 runs respectively. Despite the steady efforts from Powell and Nabi, Capitals managed to score 150/8.
For Desert Vipers, Devin Paine, Khuzaima Tanvir, and Noor Ahmed shared the spoils, picking up two wickets each, keeping the Capitals under control.
Desert Vipers Chase
Chasing 151 for victory, Desert Vipers looked confident from the start. Opener Fakhar Zaman off to a good start, scoring 26 off 15 balls, including two fours and two massive sixes, before being dismissed by Mohammad Nabi. The star of the innings was American batter Andreas Gous, who played a brilliant knock of 58 runs off just 36 balls. He struck six fours and three towering sixes, anchoring the innings perfectly.
Max Holden contributed 16 runs, while captain Sam Curran managed just 7, falling early and bringing some pressure on the Vipers. Dan Lawrence steadied the innings with an unbeaten 19, guiding the team past crucial moments. Shimron Hetmyer and Hasan Nawaz could not make significant contributions, scoring 7 and 3, respectively.
In the end, Khuzaima Tanvir joined Lawrence to smash 12 runs off just eight balls, sealing the victory in 19 overs with 6 wickets in hand.