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Or will Capitals continue their stunning turnaround and lift the trophy?

Ashish Pant08-Feb-2025

Big picture: Two familiar rivals chasing a maiden title

Desert Vipers dominated the ILT20 2025 league stage like no other. They won six of their first seven matches, became the first side to confirm a playoffs position, and ended the league phase as table-toppers. But… it’s not all been hunky dory.Vipers have played 12 matches so far this season, of which they have only lost four. Three of those defeats, however, have come against their opponents in the final, Dubai Capitals: twice in the league stage and then in Qualifier 1. Having brushed most teams aside with a minimum of fuss, Vipers have come undone each time they have faced Capitals this season.Can they turn that narrative around and pick up a win in the game that matters the most, or will Capitals make a clean sweep and secure their first ILT20 crown?Related

• 'Data is information and the important thing is how you use that information'

• Sam Curran on England omission: 'I've got to keep banging the door down'

• Lockie Ferguson in doubt for Champions Trophy and Pakistan tri-series

Both teams know what it’s like to make it to the final and not win. Vipers did that in 2023, when they lost to Gulf Giants, while Capitals lost to MI Emirates in a one-sided final in 2024.There is little doubt that the two best teams in the competition have made it to the final. Vipers were dominant throughout. Capitals started slowly, losing three of their first four matches, but a confident win over Vipers brought their campaign back on track. They have since been unstoppable, winning six of their last seven matches.How the batters from both sides go might well decide the outcome of the final. Of the top ten run-getters in the tournament so far, five are from either Vipers or Capitals. These two teams played out a high-scoring clash at this venue just three days ago, and runs could once again be the theme in the final.Both teams have a great record in Dubai this season – Vipers have won four of their six games here, and Capitals five out of six. And no matter which team wins the final, we are sure to get a new ILT20 winner.

Form guide

Dubai Capitals WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Desert Vipers WLLWLGulbadin Naib has been an all-round package all season•ILT20

In the spotlight: Gulbadin Naib and Alex Hales

He is picking up wickets, he is scoring runs, he is flexing his biceps – Gulbadin Naib has turned out to be Capitals’ trump card this season. He is the fifth-highest run-scorer so far this tournament, with 376 runs in 11 outings at a strike rate of 158.64. In addition, he has 11 wickets in as many games and kept teams quiet in the middle overs. But most importantly, Naib has been excellent against Vipers. In three games against them this season, he has scores of 78*, 55* and 62, and picked up three wickets. Naib turned out to be the difference between the two sides in the first Qualifier and will be one of the key elements in the final.After bagging the Player-of-the-Match award in Qualifier 2, Alex Hales reckoned he was most pleased with how still his head was while he was playing his shots. It’s something he has maintained all season. Hales is third on the run-charts as things stand with 400 runs in 12 outings at a strike rate of 138.40. He has a good record against Capitals this season and Vipers will once again heavily rely on him to get them off to a flying start.Lockie Ferguson is unlikely to feature in the final•ILT20

Team news: Warner and Ferguson under injury cloud

Vipers are likely to miss two of their key players for the final. Captain Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, while Wanindu Hasaranga, their joint-leading wicket-taker, has gone back to Sri Lanka and won’t be available. Sam Curran, who led the side in Qualifier 2, is likely to captain in the final as well. Depending on whether Vipers bat or bowl first, David Payne is likely to be substituted for Sherfane Rutherford and vice-versa.Desert Vipers (possible): 1 Alex Hales, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 3 Max Holden, 4 Dan Lawrence, 5 Sam Curran (capt), 6 Azam Khan (wk), 7 David Payne/Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, 9 Nathan Sowter, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Ali Naseer.David Warner scored an unbeaten 93 in his one game for Capitals so far, but has since been out with a back injury. He didn’t look in great shape in a virtual press conference on the eve of the final, and is unlikely to make the cut against Vipers. Capitals had subbed Obed McCoy for Adam Rossington in Qualifier 1 and that could be the case in the final, too.Dubai Capitals (possible): 1 Adam Rossingston/Obed McCoy, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Gulbadin Naib, 4 Sam Billings (capt), 5 Rovman Powell, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Sikandar Raza, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Farhan Khan, 10 Haider Ali, 11 Qais Ahmad.

Pitch and conditions

It’s Dubai, so the weather will be extremely humid and energy sapping. The teams batting second have held the advantage so far at this venue this season, winning ten out of 14 games. That’s largely because of the dew which has made an appearance late in the day. The captain winning the toss is likely to bowl. The temperature is expected to hover around the late 20s to the early 30s on the Celcius scale.

Stats and trivia

• Shai Hope needs just ten runs to become the tournament’s leading run-getter. He is currently on 484 runs, only behind Tom Banton.
• The average first-innings score in Dubai so far this season is 155.
• Naib is the only player to feature in the top ten of both the leading wicket-takers and run-getters lists.

Quotes

“When you’ve beaten them a couple of times, that’s the scary part. Sometimes that momentum can break. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen, and we can continue our form.”
“They [Dubai Capitals] have won three games in a row, and I think it is our turn now to beat them in the big stage. I always believe that in the final whoever handles the pressure well has more of a chance to win the game. In the final the margin of error is very less so you have to be on your toes every single time.”

South Africa feasted on a largely toothless Zimbabwe attack, putting on 222 runs in just the final session

Shashank Kishore06-Jul-2025
Wiaan Mulder marked his captaincy debut with a marathon unbeaten 264 as South Africa ran Zimbabwe ragged on a hot opening day of the second Test in Bulawayo.South Africa went into stumps on a mammoth 465 for 4, the final session alone bringing them 222. Runs hemorrhaged from both ends against a toothless attack that was further depleted by a niggle to debutant seamer Kundai Matigimu, who largely bowled within himself for much of the evening.As dominant as South Africa were, Zimbabwe’s misfired tactics – of bowling to spread out fields as early as after the first hour with the fast bowler adopting a short-ball ploy to Mulder and David Bedingham – came under sharp focus. There were also a few missed opportunities in between that contributed to the day’s scoreline.The first one came when Mulder top-edged a pull on 91, with the ball landing between deep square and fine leg off Blessing Muzarabani. Then there was a grassed opportunity at backward square leg by Wesley Madhevere off teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius on 31 when he skied an attempted slog sweep off left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza.There was more frustration late in the day when Tanaka Chivanga clean bowled Mulder on 247, only for the joy to be short-lived as replays confirmed the bowler had overstepped to compound Zimbabwe’s frustration.On 133 at the tea interval, Mulder added 131 more in the final session, as he climbed into Zimbabwe’s tired spinners initially, and then against the fast bowlers who once again dished out bizarre short-ball plans with the second new ball.And while Mulder made merry, Pretorius was equally enterprising in his bristling 87-ball 78, before falling in the final session when a century was there for the taking. Looking to heave a length delivery over deep midwicket, he top-edged debutant Matigimu to Masakadza at mid-on just as the second new ball was taken, bringing an end to a 217-run fourth-wicket partnership.The prelude to the Mulder-Pretorius partnership was another solid double-century stand between Mulder and David Bedingham, who rode the early wobble in the first session with the pair lifting South Africa from 24 for 2. Bedingham was compact in defence, and steely in his resolve to not play loose drives in the first hour.David Bedingham and Wiaan Mulder added 184 for the third wicket•Zimbabwe Cricket

There on, there were hardly any drivable deliveries on offer thanks to the short-ball ploy. Bedingham was equally severe against the spinners, using his feet well to get fully forward or rock back to cut and pull. Mulder and Pretorius brought up the half-century partnership off just 35 balls, and then set themselves for the long haul.Bedingham was out against the run of play for 82 when a nip-backer from Chivanga trapped him lbw, but any joy from the wicket quickly dissipated as Pretorius took charge. Fresh off a barnstorming century in the first Test, he looked unshackled as he took the attack to the spinner and fast bowlers alike, hitting seven fours and three sixes in his innings.Zimbabwe’s only semblance of effectiveness came in the first half hour in an engaging passage, where the new ball did something. Tony de Zorzi was put down in the slips by Craig Ervine, but Zimbabwe didn’t need to wait long for a wicket as he was out slashing to gully, where Nick Welch took a leaping catch. Then it was the turn of debutant Lesego Senokwane to fall for 3 when he was out lbw attempting to paddle Masakadza.Those moments of fleeting joy quickly dissipated as Zimbabwe were sent on a leather hunt for the rest of the day.

Both sides could hand out debuts during the series as they look to firm up combinations ahead of next year’s main event

Andrew McGlashan19-Jul-2025

Big picture: T20 World Cup preparation begins amid a farewell

This series marks the beginning of something – the build towards next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka – but the first two matches are also an ending: Andre Russell will retire from international cricket after the Jamaica leg of matches, another member of the powerhouse West Indies T20 era who has called time.Russell was part of both the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup triumphs for West Indies, one of finest hours coming in the latter of those when he made vital runs against India and claimed nine wickets in the tournament. It took a while for Russell to click in T20Is: until the end of 2015 he averaged 11.52 with the bat (strike-rate 122.01) and 48.90 with the ball from 33 matches. Since then, in 49 matches, he has averaged 28.63 with a strike-rate of 177.11 and claimed 50 wickets at 26.56.Related

• Australia to trial new combinations as T20 World Cup build-up begins

• Russell rates 2016 T20 World Cup innings against India as his best moment

But he won’t be around for an attempt at a third World Cup title, instead opting to bow out on his home ground at Sabina Park where he can expect a hero’s welcome over the next few days.For two matches, Russell will be part of a West Indies’ batting order that, on paper, looks more formidable than the Test line up that recently crumbled for 27 albeit they are also without Nicholas Pooran who recently ended his international career. However, they have won just two of their last 16 T20Is including 3-0 sweeps against Bangladesh and England.Meanwhile, Australia have been light on T20s since the last World Cup with just nine schedule matches (one of which against England was abandoned) but this series begins a run of 16 fixtures leading into the next edition. This isn’t a full-strength squad with Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc rested – all of whom will likely feature in the World Cup – but it retains many of the key T20 personnel and is an important opportunity for captain Mitchell Marsh to bring the side together.4:10

Russell: I want to win and finish on a high

Form guide

West Indies WLLLL
Australia WWWLW

In the spotlight: Evin Lewis and Mitchell Owen

Moving away from Russell for a moment, Evin Lewis will have some fond memories of Sabina Park. In the only other T20I he has played at the venue he hammered 125 not out off 62 balls against India in 2017. His most recent T20I innings brought 91 off 44 balls against Ireland. In four matches against Australia, which all came in 2021, he has made 139 runs at a strike-rate of 182.89 – his highest against any side he has faced more than once.Mitchell Owen has been confirmed for his international debut. There will be a lot of interest in how he performs following a standout BBL last season which included his breathtaking century in the final. A squeeze for batting spots at the top of the order means his chance will come in the middle order. “Just looking at the top order and the talent and the skill and the experience that we have there. If I get given an opportunity, I don’t really care where it is. I’m just happy to be playing for this team,” Owen said.Eighteen-year-old Jewel Andrew is in West Indies’ squad•Global Super League via Getty Images

Team news: Race from Guyana for WI players; Owen to debut

Jewel Andrew and Jediah Blades are uncapped at T20I level while Matthew Forde will become Russell’s replacement. Seven members of the squad have been playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Global Super League, the final of which only finished on Friday night, and it’s understood their journey to Jamaica may involve a private jet so they can reach on Saturday.West Indies squad: Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario ShepherdMatt Short has been ruled out of the series with a side strain and Tim David sits out the opening match as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Jake Fraser-McGurk, a late addition to the squad, gets the chance to open and Cooper Connolly slots into the middle order.Australia: 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Josh Inglis (wk), 4 Cameron Green, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Owen, 7 Cooper Connolly, 8 Ben Dwarshius, 9 Sean Abbott, 10 Nathan Ellis, 11 Adam Zampa

Pitch and conditions

It remains to be seen how the white ball reacts under the Sabina Park floodlights compared to the pink one, but there is unlikely to be as much grass left on the pitch as there was for the Test match. There is the chance of a shower or two.

Stats and trivia

• These are the first day-night T20Is at Sabina Park following the recent installation of the floodlights which enabled it to host the pink-ball Test.
• The head-to-head between the teams in T20Is is all square: 11-11. However, West Indies have won only one of the last six.
• Former captain Rovman Powell needs 25 runs to overtake Chris Gayle as West Indies’ second-leading run-scorer in T20Is

Durham batter hits final ball over long-on with five required to end Southern Brave’s perfect start

ECB Media13-Aug-2025A last-ball six from Graham Clark saw Northern Superchargers defeat Southern Brave on their home turf in a nail-biting finish.Put into bat, the Brave were soon in all kinds of trouble. Kiwi Jacob Duffy, fresh off the plane from a Test series with Zimbabwe, decimating their power-packed top-order, reducing them to 26 for 3 off 24 balls by dismissing Leus du Plooy, James Vince and Jason Roy.James Coles and the evergreen Laurie Evans rebuilt steadily then violently, putting on 87 in 57 balls to put a defendable total in sight despite spin twins Mitchell Santner and Adil Rashid keeping things in check, the Brave finishing with a middling 139 for 5.Jacob Duffy celebrates an early breakthrough•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Craig Overton replicated the work of Duffy, taking three relatively inexpensive wickets for the Brave, but Zak Crawley sparkled alongside England team-mate Harry Brook, both of whom scored quickfire 20s.When Chris Jordan pulled up with a groin injury, it felt like a game-changing moment but the Brave rallied, Jofra Archer bowling a brilliant penultimate set, going for just one run and taking two wickets to finish with 2 for 15.The Superchargers needed 10 off the last set, bowled by Tymal Mills. Dots off balls three and four left five needed off the last, at which point Graham Clark hit a back-of-the-hand slower ball over the ropes at deep midwicket to send the away fans into a frenzy.Clark, only playing due to a David Miller niggle, said he felt “euphoric” after sealing the points. “I thought I’d messed it up when I left that wide one and then missed a slot ball, but it’s such a good feeling to get over the line,” he said.”Batting in the middle order role is something I’ve never done before. I’ve spent the last few days with [batting coach] Neil McKenzie trying to improve my power-hitting. We thought it was a really good wicket, where you could play proper shots. Santner really took the pressure off: he’s a quality operator, when he fields, bowls or bats; such a calm character, and hits the ball so cleanly.”

Talat scored 32 in 30 balls and took two wickets in the high-stakes game against SL

Danyal Rasool24-Sep-20252:09

Chopra: Talat holding one end up was important

Pakistan allrounder Hussain Talat launched a passionate defence of his utility to his side with the bat, saying there were “only four or five” players who could play T20 cricket in the middle order. Speaking after guiding his side to victory against Sri Lanka in a game where defeat would have put them on the brink of elimination, he called T20I middle order batting “the hardest of skills”.”We keep saying that if we need a middle order player they need to know how to be both aggressive and have the ability to anchor,” Talat said at the press conference after the game. “But the chances of failure with that kind of cricket are high. Unfortunately, if you don’t perform a few games or series, the media and fans immediately go after you and you’re out of the team suddenly.”I think the middle order is the hardest place to play in T20 cricket because you’re required to play all kinds of cricket. And because it’s difficult, I think you should have more chances in that position. And players who can play in the middle order are very rare in Pakistan, perhaps four or five. And even they don’t want to play there.”Perhaps, given the difficult couple of days he – and the rest of the Pakistan middle order have had, that is understandable. On Sunday, Pakistan’s descent from superiority in their clash against India can be traced almost to the moment Talat walked out to the crease in the 11th over. Until then, Pakistan had sped along at nine an over, but when Saim Ayub was dismissed and Talat was surprisingly sent in to bat, all that changed.Talat, who hadn’t played any games in the UAE in the month Pakistan have been here until that day, looked rusty. He scratched around for 11 balls and scored just 10 as India snatched momentum away from Pakistan. Just 38 came in the seven overs that began when Talat walked out to the crease, the lowest for that period of the game all tournament. India would ultimately cruise to victory, with much of Pakistan’s ire directed at Talat and his fellow middle-order batters. It was, Talat said, why he stays away from social media, but admitted it still affected him.Related

• Abrarcadabra – the four-over spell that left Sri Lanka stupefied

• Nawaz and Talat trump Sri Lanka in nervy chase

• Asalanka: Sri Lanka have to 'get combinations right ahead of the World Cup'

On Tuesday, it was a different story. With a match situation more conducive to his abilities, he found his side floundering rather than flourishing, and anchored the chase to ensure they did not let victory slip from their grasp.”We’d lost so no one was feeling good,: Talat said. “The people wanted us to win, and we did what we could against India, too. But there was no extra pressure before today’s game. There was plenty of criticism which we were trying to avoid and which isn’t good for the team. But it was crucial to win today.”In pursuit of 134, that victory looked almost assured when the opened darted to the perfect start, Pakistan helping themselves to 43 in the first five overs. But a two-wicket sixth over from Maheesh Theekshana triggered a collapse where Pakistan lost four wickets for 13 runs, and Sri Lanka were ascendant.”The pitch was a bit sticky, but improved in the second innings,” Talat said. “We lost a few wickets quickly and that put us under a lot of pressure. And then we were running out of batting pairs which required us to take the game deep.”Sri Lanka tightened the screws further when Dushmantha Chameera cleaned up Mohammad Haris as he slogged wildly, reducing Pakistan to 80 for 5, still 54 runs adrift. With the asking rate under control – at exactly six an over, Talat decided to do something not many in the Pakistan camp talk about much these days – batting circumspectly.”In the group, when we talk about batting, it’s always about playing aggressive. But when I went in, a couple of wickets fell. My gut feeling was the only way to win after that was to take the game deep. When Nawaz hit Hasaranga for two fours, he said he’d go for his shots and for me to anchor. And that worked nicely for both of us.”Pakistan saw off the dangerous Theekshana aware that Wanindu Hasaranga, too, would eventually have to bowl out. But when the allrounder came in for his final two over, he went searching desperately, and that opened up scoring options. Nawaz hit him for two fours in his third when he dropped the ball short, and with the target rushing up to meet them, Talat helped himself to two more in Hasaranga’s last to drive the final nail into Sri Lanka’s coffin. In the end, the runs came in a hurry, with Mohammad Nawaz walloping Chameera for three sixes in five balls as Pakistan cantered to the finish in the 18th over.A win can make all the difference, particularly for Talat who has spent far longer out of the side looking in than most in this group. His recent inclusion into the side has only come after more than four years out in the international wilderness, where he feels people haven’t quite appreciated how hard he’s needed to work to scrap his way back in.”We’re hopeful. We’ve been playing T20 cricket for four months or so now, since Bangladesh came to Pakistan in May. Players are being backed in this group; in the past, players used to play a couple of matches and then be omitted. Now they’re getting an extended run like we see elsewhere in international cricket.”We’re two games away from the trophy, and we believe we can win it.”

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West Brom overcame Nathan Jones’ determined Stoke City side in a hard-fought contest at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday. A single Dwight Gayle goal, as the Newcastle United loanee nodded in from close range, was enough to give the Baggies a 1-0 win.

Darren Moore will be delighted with the result, but he will be disappointed with his side’s lack of thrust and dynamism. This is an issue he must address, especially if he is serious about taking West Brom back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

On the chalkboard

Gareth Barry has been a fine servant at the Hawthorns. However, at 37-years-old he should not still be as important to the way the Baggies play as he currently is. The 53-cap former England international has made 19 league appearances for the Midlands club so far this season, as per Transfermarkt’s statistics.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

Whilst the veteran midfielder’s experience, ability to read the game, and quality on the ball can be useful, he can no longer bring energy or intensity to the middle of the park. This issue is compounded when Barry is partnered in midfield by Jake Livermore, as he was against Stoke.

29-year-old Livermore also lacks the ability to break forward effectively with the ball, and as such, the Baggies are lumbered with an uninspiring midfield pairing. Both are tidy on the ball, and calm, experienced presences, but they lack pace and firepower.

Looking ahead

In order to address this, Moore must invest more faith into the likes of Sam Field and Rekeem Harper, who could both bring a much-needed injection of energy and youthful exuberance to West Brom’s midfield setup.

Finding long-term replacements for the likes of Barry and Livermore in the upcoming summer transfer window is also vital, especially if the club are able to secure a return to the top flight. Moore’s mind must now be on the future.

Yesterday saw West Ham win a well-earned point on the road against a tough Crystal Palace side. The Hammers took the lead after weathering some early Palace pressure, however, the home side kept knocking on the door and eventually found the net through Wilfried Zaha, without Fabianski though, it would have been a resounding Palace win.

West Ham’s Polish shot-stopper is looking like the signing of the season for the Hammers, and maybe even in the whole of the Premier League. After Swansea went down last season the Irons may have been sceptical to look to sign him, especially seeing as Jack Butland was a ‘keeper in a similar position, however, Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to swoop for the Swansea man was a superb one.

Pellegrini’s side is starting to tick now. Going forward the Chilean has plenty of options who he can call upon. However, at the back injuries haven’t been kind to the Stratford club. Because of that, the form of Fabianski has been key to their season, and the fans are all desperate for the 33-year-old to be celebrated by winning the club’s famous Hammer of the Year award come to the end of the season.

You can read the Hammers’ verdict on Fabianski here:

The Hammers cannot get over how good their Polish shot-stopper is and will be delighted to see him named Hammer of the Year at the end of the campaign.

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Leeds United pair Gaetano Berardi and Stuart Dallas stepped up their respective comebacks from injury by appearing for the club’s Under-23 side on Friday night.

Berardi did appear for the Under-23s last month as he looked to bounce back from a long-term hamstring injury, but suffered a recurrence of the issue.

Berardi came through the first 30 minutes of the clash against Notts County, though, before being replaced in what was a planned substitution.

Dallas, meanwhile, has also been absent for over two months after fracturing his foot against Sheffield United in December before suffering an ankle injury.

The midfielder also appeared for 30 minutes on Friday night before leaving the field in what proved to be a 2-1 win for the Whites.

Izzy Brown also featured as he stepped up his recovery from a long-term knee problem, while Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Tyler Roberts received 90 minutes.

It was an extremely strong Under-23 outfit, and the Leeds fans reacted to the team on social media ahead of kickoff: