Kieron Pollard and Naseem Shah's verbal spat (Source:@ILT20Official,x.com)
The International League T20 (ILT20) final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night was filled with drama and high emotions.
While Desert Vipers' historic title win was the main story, a heated on-field confrontation between Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah and MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard grabbed major attention and quickly became the talking point of the match.
What happened between Naseem Shah and Kieron Pollard?
The incident occurred during the 11th over of MI Emirates' run chase. Naseem Shah delivered a good-length ball that Pollard defended straight back to him.
The fast bowler appeared to say something to the former West Indies all-rounder, which did not go down well with Pollard. Known for his aggressive leadership style, he immediately marched toward the young pacer and exchanged angry words.
Both players stood face-to-face in the middle of the pitch. The atmosphere at the stadium turned electric, with teammates rushing in to calm the situation.
On-field umpires, along with players such as Jason Roy, stepped in quickly to separate the two before matters escalated further.
However, the rivalry did not end there. Naseem Shah had the final say later in the innings, as his performance with the ball proved decisive in the final.
Watch the video here:
Naseem Shah's fiery spell turns the final in DV's favour
Five overs after the heated exchange, Naseem returned to bowl and dismissed Pollard. He made 28 runs off 28 balls, failing to provide the late push MI Emirates desperately needed.
Naseem struck again in the 17th over, bowling a short delivery that forced Pollard into a mistimed pull shot. Substitute fielder Sanjay Pathal completed a safe catch at deep backward square leg. With Pollard gone, MI Emirates’ hopes of chasing down the big total were virtually over.
Naseem Shah finished with excellent figures of 3 for 18 in four overs. Earlier in the innings, he had already removed Andre Fletcher and Tom Banton, putting MI Emirates under pressure right from the powerplay.
Speaking after the match, Naseem kept his composure and focused on the team effort. He said the pressure of a final was different and credited the entire squad for giving their best.
"The pressure of a final is different. The credit goes to everyone, batting and bowling. Our combination was good, we had good options with both bat and ball, and the team management used them well. Everyone gave their 100% and the end result is in front of us."
Sam Curran shines as Desert Vipers clinch ILT20 title
Earlier in the match, Desert Vipers posted a total of 182 for four after being asked to bat first. Captain Sam Curran led from the front with a brilliant unbeaten 74 off 51 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes. Max Holden contributed a steady 41, while Dan Lawrence added quick runs at the end.
MI Emirates were eventually bowled out for 136 in 18.3 overs, falling 46 runs short of the target.
Sam Curran capped off an outstanding tournament by winning both the Red Belt for Most Valuable Player and the Green Belt for Best Batter. He finished the season with 397 runs, along with seven wickets and 10 catches, proving his all-round value.
