Desert Vipers and MI Emirates meet at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the 24th match of ILT20 2025-26.
The Vipers have been the team to beat, sitting top of the table with six wins from seven games and a playoff place already booked. Max Holden and Fakhar Zaman have set the tone with fast starts, and the middle order has rotated strike and accelerated well. In the ninth match they defended just 159 against MI Emirates, with David Payne taking 4 for 29. A six-game winning run ended with a tight loss to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, but their reliable bowling, including Khuzaima Tanveer, still makes them a complete side.
MI Emirates have won four of seven and remain within reach of the leaders. They beat Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by seven wickets, with Fazalhaq Farooqi taking four wickets and Jonny Bairstow finishing unbeaten on 49. Nicholas Pooran, Bairstow and Tom Banton give them match-winning batting, but pressure-induced collapses have cost them, and the spinners and death bowlers need to contribute more.
If the Emirates bowl with discipline early and avoid a middle-overs slowdown, they can challenge the Vipers, but our preview still backs the leaders.