The Desert Vipers powered their way to the final of the ILT20 Season 4 with a resounding 45-run victory over MI Emirates in Qualifier 1 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Led by Andries Gous’ unbeaten century, and Usman Tariq’s three-wicket haul, the Vipers qualified for their third final in four seasons of the ILT20.

Meanwhile, MI Emirates will face the winner of the Eliminator between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals, to be played on 1 January.

A destructive partnership between Andries Gous (120* of 58) and Fakhar Zaman (69 off 50), followed by a late onslaught from Sam Curran (38* off 12) steered the Vipers to 233/1 - the highest total of this season.

Gous not only became the first centurion of the season, but also the first player from an Associate Nation to register a century across four seasons of the competition. His unbeaten 120 is also the highest individual score in the history of the league.

For the MI Emirates, Tom Banton’s fighting 63 in 27 balls, with six fours and four sixes fell short. Usman Tariq, making his DP World ILT20 debut, took three wickets for 33 runs in the middle overs to turn the tide and ensure that Vipers secured their place in the final with relative ease.

Chasing a mammoth total, Muhammad Waseem (41 off 32) showed early intent for the MI Emirates with three boundaries in the opening over. He rotated the strike with Andre Fletcher (4 off 7), who was dismissed by Khuzaima Tanveer in the fourth over, before Tom Banton hit a six and a four early in his innings. Their bright start ensured MI Emirates reached 53/1 at the end of the powerplay.

Banton changed gears post the powerplay, hitting Sam Curran for 18 runs in the ninth over and bringing up his 21-ball half-century in the process.

However, Banton’s 81-run partnership off 43 balls with Waseem was broken by Naseem Shah in the 11th over, when the UAE batter holed out to Hassan Nawaz.

The Vipers asserted their dominance in the middle overs courtesy debutant Usman Tariq, who struck twice in two balls in the 12th over to get the dangerous Banton and then Sanjay Krishnamurthi for a duck.  He added the scalp of Kieron Pollard (15 off 9) in the 14th over as the MI Emirates’ batting began to unravel.

David Payne joined the party in the 16th over to send Dan Mousley (7 off 11) packing as the match slid out of the MI Emirates’ hands.

Despite a late push from Romario Shepherd (39* off 23), including 22 runs off Curran in the 18th over, the Vipers restricted their opponents to 188/7.

Asked to set a target, the Vipers sailed to 47/0 in the powerplay. After a watchful start, Gous broke the shackles in the fifth, dispatching Romario Shepherd for two consecutive sixes and a four in a 20-run over.

Gous kept the pressure on as he brought up a half-century in 29 balls, thumping three fours and three sixes in the process. The opening stand breached the 100-run mark in only 65 balls.  Fakhar, whose first 25 runs came in 23 balls, quickly made amends in the middle overs.

He struck Kieron Pollard for a six and a four in consecutive balls to race to a 36-ball fifty.

The pair found boundaries at will and went on to register the highest opening stand in the history of the DP World ILT20. The 157-run partnership was finally halted in the 16th over, when Allah Ghazanfar scalped Fakhar Zaman. Gous brought up his century in 53 balls as the final five overs saw 85 runs.

While Gous finished his unbeaten knock with seven fours and nine sixes, Sam Curran was also destructive with two fours and four sixes in his short, unbeaten stint. He smashed 20 runs in the final over to propel the Vipers to 233/1.