ILT20 FINAL Highlights; Brathwaite, Hetmyer took the Giants over the line and crowned ILT20 Champions

Carlos Brathwaite and Chris Lynn (72* off 50) showcased the value of their vast experience in the shortest format as they steered the Gulf Giants to a seven-wicket victory against Desert Vipers in the summit clash of the ILT20.

Everyone already knew the name from the time he demolished England to win the T20 World Cup for the West Indies in India.

But, just in case anyone needed a reminder, Carlos Brathwaite provided a vivid recap wearing brilliant orange at a packed Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night.

This time with the ball, the bravura Barbadian all-rounder bowled Gulf Giants to the DP World International League title.

Thanks to the inroads he made in dismissing Alex Hales and Rohan Mustafa in his first over, the first ILT20 final was as good as over before it had really begun.

Brathwaite took three for 19 as the Giants limited the Desert Vipers to 146 for eight from their 20 overs. It scarcely represented a challenge to chase, and they coasted to a seven-wicket win.

Brathwaite dismissed Hales, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, with his first ball, which was just the seventh of the match.

Four balls later he might well have had Mustafa, too, had he needed to resort to a review for an lbw shout which had been turned down. The Giants need not worry about that, though, seeing as Qais Ahmed and Brathwaite affected a run out of Mustafa anyway.

Sam Billings set about rebuilding the innings, but became Brathwaite’s second victim when he fell to a brilliant tumbling catch by David Wiese.

Tom Curran was Brathwaite’s third, as the wheels came off a Vipers comeback, which had been set up by a plucky half-century by Wanindu Hasaranga.

Top-order batting has not been easy in the latter stage of this competition, and the Giants did not have it easy as they started their reply.

Sheldon Cottrell was thrifty with the new ball, before Luke Wood and Tom Curran, with a wicket apiece, reduced the Giants to 26 for two in the fifth over.

Chris Lynn and Gerhard Erasmus calmed their nerves, though, with a 73-run stand over the next 10 overs, before Hasaranga accounted for the latter.

Once the Namibia captain departed, caught by Tom Curran at long on, Lynn found a willing and able partner in the form of Shimron Hetmyer.

The Guyanese left-hander had free rein to have a dash, and he was helped by some loose bowling. He made a rapid 25 not out from 13 balls.

Fittingly, it was left to Lynn to to smash the winning runs, which he did with eight balls to spare when he crunched Cottrell for four, taking his own score to 72 not out in the process.

Desert Vipers 146/8 in 20 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 55; Carlos Brathwaite 3-19) lost to Gulf Giants 149/3 in 18.4 overs (Chris Lynn 72*; Hasaranga 1-28) by 7 wickets.