Taskin Ahmed finally found his rhythm in the ILT20 with a disciplined spell of fast bowling, but another batting collapse meant Sharjah Warriors slipped to a four-wicket defeat against Desert Vipers at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Bowled out for just 90 in 17.5 overs, Sharjah never had enough runs to properly challenge the Vipers, who chased down the target with 37 balls to spare despite losing six wickets.
Asked to bat first, Sharjah struggled from the outset. Johnson Charles departed for three with only nine runs on the board, setting the tone for another dismal batting display. Wickets continued to tumble, and no partnership was able to steady the innings.
Tom Abell top-scored with a slow but resolute 35 from 36 balls, while Ethan D’Souza contributed 18. They were the only two batters to reach double figures. The highest stand of the innings was just 33 runs for the fourth wicket, with senior players such as Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sikandar Raza and Dinesh Karthik unable to arrest the slide.
Sharjah were eventually bowled out for 90, with David Payne leading the attack for Desert Vipers with three wickets. Naseem Shah, Noor Ahmad and Khuzayma Tanveer picked up two each on a surface that offered grip and uneven bounce.
Defending a modest total, Taskin provided Sharjah with early hope through a superb opening spell. Introduced in the second over, he dismissed Fakhar Zaman for six after the left-hander miscued a lofted shot to mid-on. In his next over, Taskin struck again, removing Hasan Nawaz for 10, caught behind off a short-of-a-length delivery.
At one stage, Taskin’s figures read an impressive 1.3–0–2–2. He conceded just six runs in his first two overs and finished with two wickets for 20 runs from four overs — his most controlled performance in four matches in the competition.
Sam Curran did counterattack with two boundaries in Taskin’s third over, but the Bangladesh pacer closed out his spell with a tidy final over, conceding only six singles.
Despite Taskin’s efforts and contributions from the other bowlers, the lack of runs proved decisive. Desert Vipers recovered from early setbacks to complete the chase in 13.5 overs. Captain Sam Curran led the way with 37 runs, ensuring there were no late alarms.
The defeat leaves Sharjah Warriors rooted to the bottom of the six-team table with four points from seven matches. Desert Vipers, meanwhile, strengthened their position at the top with their seventh win in eight games, moving to 14 points.
