Sharjah, 05 December, 2025: The Desert Vipers made it two wins in two matches after securing a hard-fought two-wicket win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. Shimron Hetmyer brought his team back into the game with an impressive 25-ball 48 after a tough start, while Khuzaima Tanveer smashed 31 off just 12 in the death overs to secure the win.

Despite the early power-hitting of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, the Vipers kept their cool. Alex Hales anchored the batting innings with a brilliant 53 off 37, including three sixes and four fours, as ADKR scored 87 runs in the first 10 overs. The Vipers bounced back in the second 10 overs, bagging five wickets and setting a target of 171.

With the bat, after a slow start that saw three wickets fall in the powerplay, Hetmyer combined with Dan Lawrence (35 off 31) in the middle overs to give their side a chance. In the final three overs, despite being eight wickets down, Tanveer’s batting took his team over the line.

Sent in to bat first, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders made a confident start as Phil Salt (18 off 15) and Hales kept the scoreboard moving in the powerplay. Salt survived a drop in the fifth over but was soon dismissed by Qais Ahmad, caught by Naseem Shah. Hales continued to attack, reaching a brisk half-century in 31 balls, while UAE’s Alishan Sharafu (25 off 19) added quick runs before a sharp boundary catch by Dan Lawrence handed Noor Ahmad his first wicket.

After Sharafu’s dismissal, the momentum shifted sharply in favour of the Desert Vipers as their spinners took control. Hales was removed by Noor, and the middle order began to crumble. Sherfane Rutherford (3 off 6) fell cheaply to Lawrence, and Liam Livingstone (4 off 6) – the hero of ADKR’s previous game – became Qais Ahmad’s second wicket, leaving the Knight Riders struggling to rebuild.

Andre Russell (36* off 23) and Unmukt Chand (18 off 13) tried to keep the run-rate going, but the damage had been done. Apart from one expensive over from Khuzaima Tanveer, the Vipers’ bowlers kept things tight throughout. Unable to fully capitalise on their strong start, ADKR were eventually restricted to a competitive but gettable total of 171.

In response, the Vipers began their chase in explosive fashion as Andries Gous (17 off 9) and Fakhar Zaman (12 off 9) hammered 19 runs off the opening over from Olly Stone — the highest ever in the first over of a DP World ILT20 innings. But stand-in skipper Sunil Narine pulled things back immediately, removing Gous in the third over. Zaman departed soon after off Ajay Kumar’s bowling, and with two new batters at the crease, Narine struck again to dismiss impact player Max Holden (1 off 6). The early breakthroughs left the Vipers reeling at 44/3 at the end of the powerplay.

Sam Curran (19 off 15) and Lawrence steadied the innings with a valuable 32-run stand before Piyush Chawla removed Curran. Lawrence then found strong support from Hetmyer as the pair added 68 off just 38 balls, putting the pressure back on ADKR.

However, Ajay Kumar swung the momentum again in the 16th over, dismissing Lawrence and Hasan Nawaz in the same over. Russell added a massive moment by removing the dangerous Hetmyer with help from a sharp catch by Alishan Sharafu — a wicket that also marked Russell’s 500th in T20 cricket.

Even with the late wickets, Khuzaima Tanveer held his nerve. He struck two sixes and two fours in a composed, match-defining cameo. With eight runs needed in the final over, Tanveer sealed the chase in style, finishing with a six and a boundary to secure a dramatic win for the Vipers.

On the close win for the Desert Vipers, stand-in skipper Sam Curran said, “It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape, but an outstanding result for us. ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist, but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”

ADKR stand-in skipper Sunil Narine said, “We were 15–20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay, and that phase was crucial for us. The conditions eventually worked in their favour, and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day, that’s part of the game.”

Brief Scores

Desert Vipers beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 2 wickets

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 171/6 in 20 overs (Alex Hales 53, Andre Russell 36, Qais Ahmad 2 for 29, Noor Ahmad 2 for 35)

Desert Vipers 175/8 (Shimron Hetmyer 48, Dan Lawrence 35, Ajay Kumar 3 for 21, Sunil Narine 2 for 35)

Player of the match: Shimron Hetmyer