Martin Saggers (England), Rod Tucker (Australia), Leslie Reifer (West Indies, TV)
Referee
Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)
Toss
Desert Vipers elected to bowl
Pitch Report
The pitch was used seven days ago where the score of 160 was chased down. Looks a very good surface. The midwicket boundary is 71 metre and 74 metre straight. I doubt too many balls will go in that midwicket direction. There is bit of grass and underneath there is bit of moisture. Back of a length you will get some good surface but overall this should be a very good pitch to bat on.
Experts are creating their teams, watch this space
Venue Details
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The pitch was used seven days ago where the score of 160 was chased down. Looks a very good surface. The midwicket boundary is 71 metre and 74 metre straight. I doubt too many balls will go in that midwicket direction. There is bit of grass and underneath there is bit of moisture. Back of a length you will get some good surface but overall this should be a very good pitch to bat on.
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
10:05 pm local time (11:35 pm IST): So that is all that we have for you from Sharjah. Now, it's all down to the Final in Dubai on Sunday! Dubai Capitals will take on Desert Vipers from 6:00 pm local time (7:30 pm IST). Who will be the new champions of the ILT20? We will find out pretty soon! For now, this is the pair of Arya and Bidipto taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda!
Alex Hales (Player of the Match, 47 runs off 29 balls): I thought that our bowlers kept it down to a manageable total. We knew that the wicket would improve, so it was great to make good use of the conditions. I've tried to keep a lot stiller and play it late, that has worked. Against the Capitals, we have to stop them from scoring. They are a strong batting unit, so we have to execute our plans with the ball in Dubai on Sunday.
Sam Curran (Desert Vipers captain): We had a little fumble before this match, we lost a few players, were challenged, and I think that brought the best out of us tonight. Sharjah are a really good batting unit. So to restrict them to 160-odd was slightly under par. We knew that the wicket would improve, and we cashed in. Amir should be fine for Sunday, given his commitment to the team. Lockie Ferguson is a bit flat, he has been our captain, but at the moment, let's see. We are thrilled to be in the final, let's see how that pans out!
Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz captain): It's always a tough one to digest. We scraped through to a defendable score but we had to get early wickets. We needed to bowl much better in the powerplay. No I think there has been a trend that the side who bowls first has the success. We were certainly the better side bowling first. The Vipers used their change-ups well and made it hard for our batters. Jason played a brilliant knock. Karim came and gave us a chance. It has been a great few weeks for the group and we will look back at it fondly.
9:49 pm local time (11:19 pm IST): Desert Vipers win by 7 wickets with 20 balls to spare and qualify for the Final!
Max Holden 48 (34) | Nathan Sowter - 2/27 (4) Jason Roy 73 (56) | Adam Milne - 2/26 (3.4)
Even without the services of big names like regular skipper Lockie Ferguson and lead spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, Desert Vipers made a strong statement and roared through to the summit clash on Sunday!
On a pitch that got better to bat on, the Vipers' batters were merciless on anything ever so slightly loose. Barring Adam Milne, no other bowler from Sharjah Warriorz got into the act.
The spinners were taken for plenty as the ball did not grip the surface. The seamers, including the experienced Tim Southee, were all over the place in terms of their line and length. And on the whole, the execution of the plans just did not happen for them.
Except for Rahmanullah Gurbaz, all the batters who got in, got starts and made their presence felt. The running between the wickets was impressive too. On the whole, this innings was an example of how to get the job done without leaving things late!
After all the games here in Sharjah, we can safely and boldly say that no team has been able to defend a score. A record that teams will surely like to break, come the next season.
Desert Vipers meet Dubai Capitals in the Final then. Quite befitting here, that the top two teams of the league phase clash for the title!
16.4 Adam Milne to Sam Curran, FOUR! The Desert Vipers qualify for the final and will play against Dubai Capitals on Sunday. On a fuller-length a shade outside off, slammed flat and hard over the mid-off fielder and completes a dominant 7 wicket win.
Superb shot! But a shot that tells you hoe good the pitch has become to bat on.
16.3 Adam Milne to Sam Curran, SIX! Clubbed down the ground for a maximum. Shorter length delivery a shade outside off, flat batted with a horizontal bat and comfortably clears the long-off fence. Just 2 more needed.
16.3 Adam Milne to Sam Curran, slower on a good-length well wide outside off, Curran tries to launch it over the extra cover region, doesn't make any contact, well wide outside off and has to be reloaded.
Better for Milne to go on-pace at the stumps.
16.2 Adam Milne to Sam Curran, short of a length delivery a shade outside off, pulled away down towards the deep midwicket region, comes back for a brace.
16.1 Adam Milne to Dan Lawrence, slower on a fuller-length around the pads, flicked away towards the deep square leg region for a single.
Adam Milne [3.0-0-12-2] comes back into the attack.
The body language of the Warriorz tells a sorry tale! They seem to have resigned to fate here. But the Vipers have forced them into submission in a way with their positive batting. Is there a sting still left though from the Warriorz? Strategic time-out.
16
overs
151/3score
0
4
1
6
1
1
runs
Dan Lawrence*
27(17)
Sam Curran
22(12)
Dilshan Madushanka
1/38
15.6 Dilshan Madushanka to Dan Lawrence, slower on a length around the leg stump, Lawrence gets a leading edge past the cover-point region and takes a single.
The 150 comes up for Desert Vipers.
15.5 Dilshan Madushanka to Sam Curran, low full toss around the middle stump channel, flicked away all along the carpet down towards the deep midwicket region and settles for a single.
New balls please!
Length bowling, even with pace off, is asking for trouble.
15.4 Dilshan Madushanka to Sam Curran, SIX! A massive hit from Curran, pace-on delivery in the slot around middle and leg, Curran with a nonchalant flick of the wrist, stands tall and sends that many a mile over the widish long-on fence.
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Dan Lawrence
*
Dilshan Madushanka
Video
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Sharjah Cricket Stadium
