This clash pits MI Emirates against Desert Vipers in the 9th match of ILT20 2025-26, set for Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The game starts at 6:30 PM local time (8:00 PM IST), promising a high-stakes night under the lights.
Both sides desperately need points to climb the table, where Desert Vipers lead with three wins from three (six points, +0.299 NRR) after tight chases against Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, plus a tie versus Gulf Giants. MI Emirates sit fifth with one win, one loss (two points, -1.252 NRR), bouncing back from a Gulf Giants defeat with a thrilling four-run thriller over Sharjah Warriorz.
Key talking points include Vipers’ unstoppable momentum versus Emirates’ urgency to ignite their campaign, highlighted by explosive batting duels and spin battles in the middle overs. Recent form shows Vipers’ top-order firepower with Dan Lawrence (110 runs) and Shimron Hetmyer shining, while Noor Ahmad (six wickets) anchors bowling; Emirates rely on clutch performers after their narrow escape.
The pitch at Sheikh Zayed typically offers a balanced contest, leaning slower early to aid seamers with the new ball before dew kicks in later, often favoring chases—teams winning the toss have leaned toward bowling first in recent outings here. Weather looks clear and warm, with pleasant evening conditions and no rain threats, setting up uninterrupted play.
Head-to-Head Record
These rivals have split six meetings evenly, 3-3, with no ties—pure edge-of-the-seat stuff. Last five encounters mirror the balance: two wins apiece for Vipers and Emirates, capped by Emirates’ dominant 154-run thrashing earlier this year that still stings for the Vipers
ILT20 2025 Match Details
- Match: MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers
- Time: 7:30 PM 2:30 PM GMT / 6:30 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Dubai
- Live Broadcast: FanCode app and website, Zee Network
International T20 League Live Streaming Info:
The International League T20 (ILT20) 2025 features 6 teams: Dubai Capitals, Desert Vipers, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, and Sharjah Warriors. The tournament includes a total of 34 matches.
The competition runs from January 11, 2025, to February 9, 2025. Matches are held at three major venues in the UAE: Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah, and Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
- India: Live streaming is available on the Zee5 OTT platform; TV coverage is on multiple Zee Network channels, including Zee Cinema and Sony Six.
- Pakistan: Matches are live on the Tapmad platform and TV channels such as PTV Sports, Geo Super, and A Sports.
- Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Abu Dhabi Sports, Dubai Sports, MYCO, and the ILT20 official YouTube channel for live streaming.
- Caribbean: Rush Sports, Flow Sports.
- United Kingdom: BT Sport, Sky Sports, Zee TV, TNT Sports, BBC iPlayer (online free access).
- Australia: Fox Cricket, Channel 9, Stan Sports.
- New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ.
- United States and Canada: Willow TV, ESPNcricinfo, and BBC iPlayer.
- Europe: Samsung TV Plus, Rakuten TV.
- South Africa: SABC Sport, Showmax, DStv Now.
The format is a double round-robin where each team plays the others twice, followed by playoffs including Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final. The playoffs start on February 5, with the final scheduled for February 9, 2025, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
YouTube: Search for the ILT20 Official Channel and look for the live stream during match times.
Tamasha: Visit their website or app to find the live streams available for ILT20 matches.
Live Streaming Info:
Sky Cricket will be live: Dv vs MIE
Live Score Info:
Cricket lovers can watch the MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers 9th Match live score from this website: www.espncricinfo.com
MI Emirates vs Desert Vipers
Playing XI:
Desert Vipers Probable XI: Alex Hales, Michael Jones, Colin Ackermann, Sherfane Rutherford, Azam Khan (wk), Liam Livingstone, Mohammad Nabi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lockie Ferguson, David Payne, Naseem Shah.
MI Emirates: Muhammad Waseem, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Tajinder Dhillon, Kieron Pollard (c), Romario Shepherd, Rashid Khan, Chris Woakes, Muhammad Rohid Khan, AM Ghazanfar