By Anas Ahmed 
The Desert Vipers produced a masterclass in T20 cricket, cruising to a resounding 10-wicket victory over the Sharjah Warriorz in Season 3 of the DP World ILT20 at the Dubai International Stadium. The win, powered by Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 71 and Mohammad Amir’s four-wicket haul, reinforced the Vipers’ position at the top of the standings.
Amir Leads the Charge with the Ball
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Desert Vipers made an immediate impact through Mohammad Amir, who rattled the Warriorz top order with precision swing bowling. Amir’s incredible opening spell reduced the Warriorz to 15/3 in three overs:
- Johnson Charles fell for a duck, caught at deep backward square.
- Avishka Fernando followed soon after.
- Rohan Mustafa miscued a flick, leading to another easy dismissal.
The relentless Vipers attack continued with Wanindu Hasaranga, who celebrated his 300th T20 wicket with a mesmerizing spell. Hasaranga’s 3/10 featured a stunning delivery to dismiss Luke Wells and back-to-back wickets, including a plumb lbw of Tim Seifert and a sharp stumping of Ashton Agar.
The Warriorz stumbled to 45/7, with Jason Roy (26*) offering the only resistance. However, Amir returned to wrap up the tail, finishing with 4/24, the best bowling figures in Desert Vipers’ history. The Sharjah Warriorz were bundled out for 91 in 19.1 overs.
Zaman’s Domination with the Bat
Chasing a modest 92, the Desert Vipers’ opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Alex Hales ensured there were no hiccups. Hales started aggressively, smashing boundaries off Tim Southee and Adam Milne. However, it was Zaman who stole the spotlight with an authoritative performance:
- He reached his half-century in just 30 balls, his second of the season.
- Zaman dispatched Siddique, Agar, and others with an array of shots, including slog sweeps and straight drives.
Zaman’s unbeaten 71 off 39 balls, featuring six sixes and four boundaries, sealed the victory in just 10.3 overs. Hales played the supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 20.
Post-Match Reactions
Player of the Match – Mohammad Amir:
“As a new-ball bowler, you aim to swing the ball and adapt to conditions quickly. I saw the movie Pushpa 2 last week, so I used the celebration as my inspiration. We’ve got a great bowling unit.”
Sharjah Warriorz Captain – Tim Southee:
“Being six down for 30 made it tough, but we’ll take a couple of days to regroup before facing these guys again. With 90 on the board, you need quick wickets, but their openers were too good.”
The Desert Vipers dominated in all departments to record a perfect game, sending a strong message to the rest of the competition. With their bowlers firing and their batting lineup in fine form, they’ll look to carry this momentum deeper into the tournament.
Brief scores:
Sharjah Warriorz 91/10 in 19.1 overs (Jason Roy 30 not out, Harmeet Singh 11, Mohammad Amir 4 for 24, Wanindu Hasaranga 3 for 10, Sam Curran 2 for 14)
Desert Vipers 95/0 in 10 overs (Fakhar Zaman 71 not out, Alex Hales 23 not out)
Player of the match: Mohammad Amir
Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriorz by 10 wickets
Zainab Shafiq