Desert Vipers put up an impressive display of batting and bowling skills to crush MI Emirates by 45 runs in Qualifier 1 of the ILT20 Championship, thus directly entering the grand finale that took place on December 30, 2025, at Abu Dhabi. This encounter was fully dominated by Andries Gous, whose unbroken century reduced the MI Emirates bowler to disbelief.
Desert Vipers Innings: Gous and Fakhar Set the Ton
Being asked to bat first, the Desert Vipers made the most of the excellent batting conditions by reaching 47 for no loss in the powerplay. Opener Fakhar Zaman and Andries Gous gave their team a sound start by scoring 50 from only 6.4 overs without losing a single wicket.
Gous meanwhile was quick to accelerate matters as he reached an incandescent half-century off 29 balls, Fakhar playing second fiddle to perfection. At the first strategic timeout, Vipers were 57/0 after 7 overs, very much in the ascendancy.
The partnership crossed the 100-run mark in 10.5 overs, with Fakhar raising his own fifty off 36 balls. The two continued to torment the bowlers, reaching 150 in 15.2 overs, before Fakhar departed for a classy 69.
And such hopes were further destroyed by the relentless hitting of Gous. For once, a successful review removed him briefly on 17.6 overs as Gous stormed to a magnificent century off 53 balls, belting the ropes at will. Supported by Sam Curran's rapid 38, the Vipers surged past 200 in 18.3 overs and finished with a mammoth 233/1, the highest total of the season.
Andries Gous' final figures:
120 off 58 balls* (6 fours, 7 sixes)
MI Emirates Innings: Bright Start, Fading Finish Chasing 234, MI Emirates started well, reaching 53/1 inside the powerplay. Tom Banton fired with an explosive 50 off just 21 balls, keeping MI Emirates briefly in the hunt.