At 6:25 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 4, the Dubai International Stadium was full and expectant, but the start of the DP World ILT 20 final was not to be until 25 minutes later because of a surprise drone show.
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This lit up the sky above the stadium with a succession of colorful images. These ranged from welcomes to symbols of the UAE and the tournament, culminating in the trophy itself.
A salvo of fireworks rounded off the spectacular introduction. Such entrees have become de rigueur in cricketing events, but this must be on a par with the best. Without saying it openly, everyone hoped for cricket as spectacular.
The Mumbai Indian Emirates, champions in 2024, won the toss and asked the Desert Vipers to bat, probably in the knowledge that they preferred to chase down a target. This was a repeat of the situation in qualifier one on Dec. 30, when the Vipers scored 233 and won by 45 runs, propelling them straight into the final.
