Alex Hales smashed an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls as Desert Vipers eased to an eight-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz to consolidate their position at the top of the International League T20 table.
Warriorz had posted 151-8 from their allocation thanks to Jason Roy’s 38-ball 55 and 42 from Tom Kohler-Cadmore as Khuzaima Tanveer took 4-22 for the Vipers.
Vipers had stuttered to 24-2 after the loss of Pakistan star Fakhar Zaman for eight and Dan Lawrence for a duck.
However, Hales plundered five sixes and seven fours in his knock as he and Sam Curran – 54 not out off 53 balls – got the Viperz home with 31 balls to spare.
Second-placed MI Emirates suffered back-to-back defeats after they lost by two wickets in a last-ball thriller against Gulf Giants.
Tom Banton’s 56 off 39 balls helped Emirates reach 151-6 as Dan Worrall took 2-19 for the Giants.
Afghanistan left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi took 3-34 to peg back the Giants after Gerhard Erasmus top scored with 37.
With 11 needed by the Giants off the last over, bowled by Dan Mousley, the England all-rounder saw a no-ball full toss smacked for six by UAE teenager Aayan Afzal Khan.
Zuhaib Zubair then slog swept the final ball of the match for a single to seal the victory for the Giants.
