The Desert Vipers made history on January 4, 2026, by securing their maiden DP World ILT20 title, defeating MI Emirates by a commanding 46 runs in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. This victory marked a significant achievement for the Vipers, who had previously reached the final twice (in 2023 and 2025) but failed to clinch the trophy. The tournament, which began on December 2, 2025, culminated in a spectacular finale. At the heart of the Desert Vipers' triumph was their captain, Sam Curran, whose exceptional all-round performance earned him both the Player of the Match award for the final and the Player of the Tournament (Red Belt) and Best Batter (Green Belt) accolades. Curran led from the front, smashing an unbeaten 74 runs off just 51 balls in the final, anchoring his team to a formidable total of 182/4. He finished the season as the highest run-scorer with 397 runs, complemented by seven wickets and ten catches, underlining his immense value to the team. Other notable contributions in the final included Max Holden's 41 and strong bowling performances from Naseem Shah (3/18) and David Payne (3/42), who restricted MI Emirates to 136 runs in 18.3 overs. The ILT20, hosted in the UAE, draws significant global viewership, including a strong audience in India due to the popularity of cricket and the involvement of franchises like MI Emirates, which are part of the broader Mumbai Indians cricket family.