Desert Vipers and MI Emirates, who finished at the top of the league standings, are set to meet once again, gearing up to face each other in the final in Dubai on Sunday. After weeks of intense competition, the two sides, clearly separating themselves from the rest, have booked their tickets in the final.
Desert Vipers head into the final with momentum on their side. Their commanding win over MI Emirates in Qualifier 1 in Abu Dhabi on December 30 not only pushed them into the final but also gave them four days to prepare. They will hope to finally lift the trophy.
Notably, Desert Vipers and MI Emirates consistently stood out throughout the league stage with match-winning performances. For Desert Vipers, this final carries huge significance. They have been one of the most competitive teams in the league, but the title has been eluding them. They were runners-up in the inaugural 2022/23 season and again in 2024/25, and now they are appearing in their third final. The Vipers have a golden opportunity to go all the way.
MI Emirates, on the other hand, has experience, having already crowned champions once before. They are featuring in their second ILT20 final.
Head-to-head
Matches - 9
Desert Vipers won - 5
MI Emirates won - 4
Desert Vipers possible XI: Andries Gous (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Max Holden, Sam Curran (c), Jason Roy, Dan Lawrence, Hasan Nawaz, Sanjay Pahal, David Payne, Usman Tariq, Naseem Shah
MI Emirates possible XI: Muhammad Waseem, Andre Fletcher, Tom Banton (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Tajinder Singh, Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard (c), AM Ghazanfar, Arab Gul, Fazalhaq Farooqi,