It was a day of quiet celebration for West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford as he watched his Desert Vipers team deliver a near-perfect performance that left little room for his services with the bat on Wednesday.

This, as they registered a crushing 10-wicket victory over Johnson Charles’ Sharjah Warriors in a one-sided DP World ILT20 encounter in Dubai.

Winning the toss, Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson opted to field, a decision that proved decisive as Mohammad Amir spearheaded a ruthless bowling performance. The Warriors crumbled under pressure, dismissed for a paltry 91 in 19.1 overs.

Charles, opening for the Warriors, fell victim to Amir in the very first over for four, and his demise set the tone for a disastrous powerplay. The Warriors were reduced to 30-5 in the first six overs, as Amir’s precision left their top order bedazzled.

Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga further dismantled the middle order with an impeccable spell of 3-10, while Sam Curran (2-14) and Amir (4-24) wrapped up the innings, ensuring the Warriors never found any momentum.

Only Jason Roy managed to offer a semblance of resistance with an unbeaten 30 off 34 balls, featuring two boundaries. Luke Wells and Harmeet Singh chipped in with 11 runs each, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to make an impact.

In reply, the Desert Vipers’ openers made the chase look effortless. Fakhar Zaman played a scintillating knock, smashing an unbeaten 71 off just 39 deliveries, decorated with seven fours and four sixes. Alex Hales provided solid support with 23 off 21 balls, including two fours and a six, as the Vipers raced to 95-0 in just 10 overs.

The commanding win, their fifth of the season, solidified the Vipers’ position at the top of the standings with 10 points. Meanwhile, the Warriors, languishing in fifth place with just four points, will need to regroup quickly to keep their playoff hopes alive.