Desert Vipers vs MI Emirates, 24th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Another game done and dusted. MIE slowly coming into their elements. Other teams need to be careful here. The Vipers would want to be worried about the momentum and the injury to Ferguson. Hope he would be back soon. That's it from today. We will be back tomorrow with more cricketing action.

Shakib Al Hasan, Player of the Match: It was suited for spin bowlers. Just needed to put in the right areas. Yeah, it was difficult to bat on, I think. And I know the batting line we have, there are many batsmen who can hit sixes easily, so someone had to play the negative role, I would say, and I was the one to be able to do it. So very happy with the team performance overall. Yes, I think there are two or three, but if not, he's the number one in terms of sixes(On Pollard being the biggest six hitter in the world).

Kieron Pollard: I think we're playing some good cricket, but still we have some average parts, you know, in between. But, you know, you always strive for excellence and perfection. But, yeah, we're going to get that. Today was a tricky one but got over the line. I needed something (about his heavy bat) with a little bit of meat in it, you know, to see if I can power the ball through. But, yeah, you know, for me, it's just, you know, being in situations, not coming too early today. Because in the back end, if there was any trouble, they needed that extra bit of power in the back because of this little bit slowish nature of the pitch. But other than that, I still thought it was a decent track. I think the discipline that we showed. The way that the Vipers approached the bat, and we know they were a bit defensive, so we didn't have to over-attack. We just had to stay within the game, 120 balls, anywhere between 120-130, I think we were actually fine. You know, with that, we didn't have to overly attack. So I think the discipline that the guys showed is what impressed me the most.

Sam Curran, stand-in skipper: Didn't look great. The schedule has been brutal. We don't play till boxing day. Was tricky. Obviously, I might add some quality spin bowlers there with lots of tricks, and I thought we gave it a really good scrap as well with our bowling attack. We felt we need to rest a few guys with the schedule and have qualified as well. And when you see something like what happens to Lockie as well, I guess that's why we probably didn't go to full strength with our attack today. Just got to rest up, being a nice little period for us, and a couple of days off, and then train hard for the next game. Good that we have been winning. Allows us to rest and rotate. Need to stick together as a group. And then to the play-offs after the last league game.

21:56 Local Time, 17:56 GMT, 23:26 IST: MIE have huffed and puffed in this chase but have managed to get over the line against the table toppers. 125 was always tricky as the wicket wasn't the best to bat on against the spinners and the slower ones. Bairstow and Waseem tried to attack but failed. Even Pooran tried to put the pressure back. He overturned an LBW call as well but was dismissed after striking a couple of sixes. Lawrence bowled an excellent spell and kept things quiet. But the number of runs were never enough. Pollard played a timely cameo and Shakib though scratchy managed to hang in there to take his team over the line with little help from Shepherd who struck a huge six to bring curtains down on the chase. MIE set this up with their bowling in the first innings and have moved to 10 points and second on table.

Matiullah Khan to Pollard, THATS OUT!! Caught!!