The 2025 edition of the International League T20 (ILT20) culminated on Sunday with Dubai Capitals clinching the title. In the summit clash, Dubai registered a thrilling four-wicket win over Desert Vipers to ear their maiden title. Opting to bowl first, the Capitals conceded 189 runs as Max Holden and skipper Sam Curran scored 76 and 62 runs respectively for the Vipers. Later, the Capitals bounced back in style and chased down the target with four balls to spare. Apart from this thrilling chase, the match also had a controversial moment.

In the 8th over of the Capitals’ chase, Vipers wicketkeeper Azam Khan showed his amazing skills to stump out Rovman Powell on Nathan Sowter’s delivery. As the Vipers began to celebrate Powell’s dismissal, the TV umpire saw that Azam’s gloves were in line with the stumps when stumped out Powell.

Drama drama drama!

An erroneous stumping No ball declared Batter called back Wide Free Hit hit for

And ALL that action in just ONE BALL! It’s all happening out there!#Final #DPWorldILT20 #TheFinalPush #AllInForCricket @DPWorldUAE @DP_World @ilt20onzee pic.twitter.com/Hlf6Im5m2l

— International League T20 (@ILT20Official) February 9, 2025

Hence, the Caribbean batter was called back as the delivery was declared a no-ball. However, the action did not end here. The next delivery, which was a free-hit, Sowter ended up throwing it as a wide ball. Finally, when he delivered the next ball perfectly, Powell comfortably smashed it for a six.

This blunder by Azam Khan proved to be expensive for the Vipers as he went on to score 63 off 38 balls.

Talking about the match, chasing 189, Sikandar Raza provided the decisive late surge with a blistering 12-ball 34, sealing victory in the final over. Earlier, Rovman Powell’s 63 and Shai Hope‘s composed 43 (in 39 balls, with two fours and a six) laid the foundation for the Capitals’ triumphant chase, as per an ILT20 press release.

For the Vipers, Max Holden’s innings of 76 runs weathered the loss of early wickets before Sam Curran took control of proceedings with an unbeaten half-century, studded with five fours and three sixes. Azam Khan also stepped up on the occasion with a boundary-laden cameo of 27 runs in the death overs.

The Capitals beat the Desert Vipers for a sixth consecutive time. Capitals took home the cash prize of USD 700,000 while the Desert Vipers were awarded USD 300,000.

Adding to the excitement of a grand final and a new champion, the ILT20’s signature awards that recognise outstanding individual performances saw Shai Hope walk away with the Green Belt (best batter), finishing the competition with 529 runs. MI Emirates’ Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed the White Belt (best bowler) for his 21 wickets in 11 innings.

Rohit Sharma was elected as the captain of the ICC T20I Team of the Year for 2024, after leading India to a second T20 World Cup title in the year. Despite poor form in Test cricket, Rohit won his first piece of ICC silverware as India captain, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament as well. Three other Indians featured in the ICC XI, in the form of pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Bumrah was adjudged the Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Travis Head was selected to open alongside Rohit Sharma, while Phil Salt was also included in the XI, as the No. 3 batter.

Head amassed 255 runs in seven games at the T20 World Cup, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer. The Australian had a superb 2024, and also made his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Phil Salt hit three T20I centuries in 2024, and found a spot in the ICC XI.

Nicholas Pooran was the highest run-scorer across T20s in 2024, amassing over 2,000 runs, and was chosen as the wicket-keeper in the XI. Pakistan stalwart Babar Azam also found a spot, having scored 738 runs in 23 innings, despite not having the best T20 World Cup.

Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, India’s Hardik Pandya and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan were selected as the all-rounders in the team. Pandya was arguably the best all-rounder in the T20 World Cup, while Rashid led Afghanistan to a historic first semi-final.

Bumrah had a phenomenal T20 World Cup 2024, picking up 15 wickets, while Arshdeep was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 17. The latter picked up 36 wickets in 18 games in 2024.

Alongside Rashid Khan, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga was selected as the other spinner in the ICC T20I Team of the Year.

ICC T20I Team of the Year 2024: Rohit Sharma (c), Travis Head, Phil Salt, Babar Azam, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sikandar Raza, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

File photo of Arshdeep Singh.© AFP

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Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq is in the news again, as he bowled a marathon rollercoaster over during his team’s first T20I against Zimbabwe. In an over that seemed like it would never get over, Naveen bowled as many as 13 balls to finally complete his over. Naveen bowled a whopping six wides, along with a no ball, culminating in the 13-ball over. But, while he was smashed for two fours, he also came back strong to pick up a wicket in the same over as well.

Bowling the 15th over to Brian Bennett, Naveen started off with a wide, before a single gave the strike to Sikandar Raza. Raza took advantage of a weak ball and slashed it for a boundary, and it was also called a no-ball.

Can you count how many balls did he bowl in that over? Because we lost count!

Afghanistan’s Naveen-Ul-Haq bowled a lengthy 14th over which proved to be decisive!#ZIMvAFGonFanCode pic.twitter.com/MdeAWHJlEg

— FanCode (@FanCode) December 11, 2024

Trying to nail the free-hit delivery, Naveen made error after error. He bowled four consecutive wides, every single time failing to nail a wide yorker. Once he finally bowled a legal ball, Raza slammed him for another boundary.

But here is where the tide swung. The ninth ball of Naveen’s over – the third official ball – resulted in a wicket, as Raza was caught at extra cover by a diving Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

The rest of the over included three singles, although another wide was also bowled.

Here’s how the over played out:

14.1: wd

14.1: 1 – Bennett

14.2: NB, 4 – Raza

14.2: wd

14.2: wd

14.2: wd

14.2: wd

14.2: 4 (free-hit) – Raza

14.3: OUT – Raza

14.4: 1 – Burl

14.5: 1 – Bennett

14.6: wd

14.6: 1 – Burl

Despite the 13-ball over, Naveen ended up as Afghanistan’s most successful bowler, picking up three wickets. However, that was not enough to ensure victory, as Zimbabwe chased down 21 in the final two overs and won off the last ball, achieving a target of 145.

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Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan Live Scorecard 1st T20I© AFP