DUBAI: Fakhar Zaman lit up the Dubai International Stadium with a stellar knock of 67 runs in 52 deliveries to secure a five-wicket victory for the Desert Vipers against defending champions the MI Emirates on Thursday.

This was the Vipers’ third-consecutive win in season three of the DP World ILT20.

Zaman and Alex Hales’ knock of 34 runs gave the Vipers a strong start in the run chase. Zaman and Sam Curran then erected a 65-run stand through the middle overs while Sherfane Rutherford powered his way to 21 runs in eight balls to chase the target of 160 in 19.1 overs.

Electing to bat first, the MI Emirates had a promising start but could not extend it into the middle overs. However, the MI Emirates scored 34 runs in the last two overs, with Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd hitting two sixes apiece to finish at 159/6.

In response, the Desert Vipers’ opening combination of Hales and Zaman coasted through the powerplay to post 51 runs. Hales had made his way to 34 runs in 22 balls when he was cleaned up by a ripper from Waqar Salamkheil in the eighth over.

Dan Lawrence was dismissed soon after, caught and bowled by Dan Mousley in the ninth over. Mousley scalped Azam Khan in the same manner in his next over to bring the score to 71/3 in 10.1 overs.

With wickets falling on one end, Zaman limited his risks until he unleashed two sixes off Salamkheil in the 14th over. Zaman brought up a 44-ball half century studded with four sixes and three fours.

Zaman creamed two more boundaries in the next over, while Curran joined in with a huge six to complete a second consecutive 16-run over. The pair’s 50-run stand in 31 balls shifted the momentum toward the Desert Vipers.

Zaman was finally dismissed by Zahoor Khan in the 17th over, with the Vipers chasing 24 runs in 18 balls.

The next batter, Rutherford, hit two boundaries while Zahoor Khan picked up his second wicket through Curran (28 runs) in the penultimate over. The Vipers needed six runs in six balls and Rutherford smoked AM Ghazanfar over deep square leg to seal the win in 19.1 overs.

In the first innings, the MI Emirates started well with Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera striking seven fours and a six to finish the powerplay at 48/0.

The runs dried up in the next phase of the innings as Wanindu Hasaranga picked up the first wicket of the night, trapping Waseem leg-before-wicket for 18 runs. Kusal Perera also failed to convert a good start of 33 runs in 29 balls, falling to Lawrence in the 10th over.

Nicholas Pooran and Tom Banton combined for a brief 22-run partnership but both batters fell in the 13th over. Skipper Lockie Ferguson dismissed Pooran while Banton was run out, leaving the MI Emirates at 86/4.

Pollard and Mousley took the innings further with a 37-run stand. Mousley was dismissed by David Payne after a near run-a-ball knock of 15 runs.

Pollard gave the run rate an injection with two fours and three sixes including two maximums off Ferguson in the 19th over. Ferguson had the final say though, dismissing Pollard in the same over after the West Indian had put on 36 runs in 23 balls.

The final over saw Shepherd come out with all guns blazing. He scored an unbeaten 16 runs, smashing two sixes off David Payne as the MI Emirates finished at 159/6 in 20 overs.

Player of the Match, Zaman, said: “I think the fast bowlers were easy, but we were struggling against spinners. We just planned to play out their overs and take the game deep.

“It was because of the way the bowlers were bowling and the leg-side boundary was big, so I was looking for runs on the shorter boundary.”

The MI Emirates’ skipper, Pooran, added: “I felt we were in the game; we were happy with 160, the way the pitch was playing, it seemed to be very tricky.

“It’s still young in the tournament, Mousley got us two wickets, we went searching for another, but we didn’t get it. Credit to Fakhar Zaman and Sam Curran, they played really well.”