ILT20 2026: Desert Vipers Win Maiden Title by 46 Runs With Sam Curran's 74*
Desert Vipers won their first ILT20 title on 4 January 2026, beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai. Sam Curran scored an unbeaten 74 and was named Player of the Series with 397 tournament runs.
Desert Vipers claimed their first International League T20 title on 4 January 2026 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs in a dominant final. The Vipers — runners-up in Season 3 (2025) — went one better in Season 4 with a comprehensive performance anchored by Sam Curran's unbeaten 74. The Vipers posted 182/4, then bowled MI Emirates out for 136 through David Payne's and Naseem Shah's three wickets apiece. Curran was named Player of the Series for 397 runs across the tournament — the most in ILT20 Season 4.
Sam Curran's 74* and Tournament Dominance
Sam Curran — the England left-arm pace bowling all-rounder and 2023 Men's T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament — has been a consistent performer in global franchise cricket since his record IPL auction price in 2023. In ILT20 Season 4, Curran built on his batting ability rather than his bowling: his 74* in the final was an innings of control and power, providing the Desert Vipers with a match-winning total of 182/4. His 397 tournament runs across the season confirmed his batting quality as a genuine top-eight contributor rather than a lower-order cameo specialist.
Desert Vipers' Dominant Season
Desert Vipers were the standout team of ILT20 Season 4 throughout the tournament, not just in the final. They won 8 of their 10 league stage matches — topping the table with 16 points — before maintaining their form in the knockouts. The franchise had previously been runners-up in Season 1 (losing to themselves — their own previous iteration) and Season 3. The margin of victory in the final — 46 runs — reflected a team that had found its optimal combination of batting depth, bowling variety, and fielding intensity through the season.
ILT20 Champions History
ILT20's first four seasons have produced four different champions: Desert Vipers (Season 1, 2023), MI Emirates (Season 2, 2024), Dubai Capitals (Season 3, 2025), and Desert Vipers again (Season 4, 2026). Desert Vipers are the only ILT20 franchise to win the title more than once. Their first title came in the league's inaugural edition; their second came three years later after two near-misses. The league has scheduled a fifth season (ILT20 Season 5) starting in November 2026, with the final set for December — a shift in the calendar designed to reduce overlap with the SA20.
Frequently asked questions
Who won ILT20 2026?
Desert Vipers won ILT20 Season 4 (2026), beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 4 January 2026. Sam Curran scored 74* and was named Player of the Series.
Has Desert Vipers won ILT20 before?
Yes. Desert Vipers won the inaugural ILT20 in Season 1 (2023), then were runners-up in Season 3 (2025) before winning Season 4 (2026). They are the only ILT20 franchise to win the title twice.
Who is Sam Curran in cricket?
Sam Curran is an English left-arm fast-medium bowling all-rounder who has played for England in all three formats. He won the Player of the Tournament award at the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup and set a record IPL auction price of ₹18.5 crore in 2023 (Punjab Kings). He was ILT20 2026 Player of the Series with 397 runs.