Holden, Naseem carry Vipers to win in ILT20

Desert Vipers faced a late resistance but pulled through to secure a five-wicket win over the Sharjah Warriorz to knock them out of the ILT20 play-offs race. Post this result, either Abu Dhabi Knight Riders or the Gulf Giants will complete the playoff line-up alongside Desert Vipers, MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals.

Meanwhile, the winner of Saturday’s clash between MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals will secure a top-two finish. Pacer Naseem Shah’s three wickets restricted the Warriorz to 140/7, before Max Holden’s unbeaten 66 runs in 46 balls, took the Vipers all the way.

Harmeet Singh’s three wickets in the middle overs briefly piled some pressure but Holden was ably supported by Sam Curran’s 25 runs in 28 balls, and Hasan Nawaz’s 25 runs in 14 balls. For the Warriorz, Johnson Charles’ 43 runs in 37 balls was the highest score.

Earlier, David Payne and Khuzaima Tanveer gave the Warriorz an early jolt, reducing them to 6/2 after two overs. Payne trapped Monank Patel (4 off 2) LBW in the first over, while Tom Abell (0 off 2) fell in the second to Tanveer.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore (20 off 22) counter-attacked to hit Naseem Shah for 19 runs in the fifth over, taking the Warriorz to 45/2 inside the powerplay. Opener Charles, who had started cautiously, hammered Qais Ahmad for two sixes in the eighth over to break the shackles.

He put on 61 runs with Tom Kohler-Cadmore in 45 deliveries until Naseem Shah castled the latter in the 10th over. Naseem Shah closed out the first innings with the wickets of James Rew and Harmeet (11 off 8) in the 18th and 20th overs respectively, restricting the Warriorz to 140/7.