In the world of T20, records should break, and on January 27, 2025, Tom Banton made history by celebrating his second century in International League T20 (ILT20) 2025. His explosive striking performance led We Emirates to a bold victory of 154 run over Desert Vipers at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dabi. Not only did this match show Banton’s skill, but he also emphasized the dominance of the Emirates as they dismantled the tables with pure strength and precision.
Andre Fletcher and a record partnership of Tom Banton
The match started by winning the Vipers for a throw and first opting for a bowl. However, their decision quickly withdrew as Emirates set a stage for impressive inserts. After losing the opener Muhammad wasem to Mohammad Amir Early Banton joined with Andre Fletcher To create an extraordinary partnership. Together they gathered the stunning 198 rides for another Wickket, a record for ILT20. Banton’s aggressive approach saw that he scored 105 only 55 balls, while Fletcher supported him with an undefeated 96 run from 50 delivery. Their partnership was central to the launch of the Emirates for a whopping 228 ride for a loss of only two shots.
Also watch: Nicholas Poran recalled an appeal against Tom Curran in ILT20 2025
Banton Elates Mi Emirates with another tone in ILT20 2025
Banton’s inings characterized explosively hitting and calculating aggression. After he initially settled, he dramatically moved the gears in the last stages of the insertion. In the stunning screen of a stroke of power, he hit three consecutive sixties from Spinner Daniel Lawrence and followed him with several boundaries that made Vipers bowlers soaked. Reaching his century in only 52 balls, Banton became the first player in the history of Ilt20 to achieve two centuries, and previously achieved this feat of just a week earlier against Sharjah Warriorz. His inings included nine four and seven six, which showed his ability to dominate the bowlers in different formats.
Here’s a video:
Business no. 2️⃣ 💯💯 💯💯 💯💯 💯💯 💯💯
Insertion #Mie Talisman while he slows down another century in #Dpworllilt20 S3!#T20heroeskajalwa #Ilt20onzee #Mievdv pic.twitter.com/r0bcqai20f
– ZEE CRICKET (@ILT20onzee) 27 January 2025
Lined up the dessert Vipers
Chasing an imposing target of 229 runs, the desert Viperi split spectacularly decayed. Bowling Emirates were relentless, with Muhammad Rohid Khan and Alzarri Joseph leading charge. The Vipers lost their first Wickket early and struggled to build any momentum during their insertions. In the end, they pulled out only 74 rides in just 12.3 additions, which marked one of the lowest total amounts in ILT20 history. Only Curran himself and Azam Khan managed to achieve double figures, while several key players like Alex Hales and Daniel Lawrence failed to make a significant contribution.
Banton’s appearance earned him a “match player” award, reflecting his key role in the victory of the Emirates. In his interview after the match, he expressed gratitude for the efforts of his team and emphasized the importance of building a partnership under pressure.
“We got down from the back of two losses, so we were under some pressure. Me and Fletcher talked about taking her a deep, special night for us Emirates, I don’t want to understand him for granted,” Banton said in a presentation after the match. This victory not only increased the place of the Emirates, but also served as a sharp reminder of their potential as serious candidates in this year’s tournament.
Also watch: Kieron Pollard takes the absolute scream to reject Andre Russell in ILT20 2025
