The Desert Vipers booked their place in the DP World ILT20 Season 4 final in emphatic fashion, hammering MI Emirates by 45 runs in Qualifier 1 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, and it was Andries Gous who stole the spotlight in a night to remember.

Gous was simply unstoppable. The right-hander smashed an unbeaten 120 off just 58 balls, becoming the first player from an Associate Nation to score a century in ILT20 history, and not just that, it was the highest individual score the league has ever seen. Big stage, big moment, even bigger innings.

Opening alongside Fakhar Zaman, Gous set the tone early as the Vipers cruised through the powerplay without loss. Once the shackles came off, there was no stopping them. The duo stitched together a record-breaking 157-run opening stand, the highest in ILT20 history, tearing into the MI Emirates attack from all angles.

Fakhar played the perfect foil, recovering from a slow start to race to a fluent 69, while Gous powered his way to a 29-ball fifty and later a 53-ball hundred. When Sam Curran joined the party at the death, the fireworks intensified. Curran’s unbeaten 38 off just 12 balls, including 20 runs in the final over, pushed the Vipers to a mammoth 233 for 1, the highest total of Season 4.

Chasing 234 was always going to be a tall order, but MI Emirates came out swinging. Muhammad Waseem and Tom Banton gave the chase early momentum, with Banton racing to a quickfire half-century. Just as MI looked ready to threaten, debutant Usman Tariq turned the game on its head.

Bowling with remarkable composure, Tariq picked up three crucial wickets — including Banton and Kieron Pollard, to halt the chase in its tracks. Once the middle order collapsed, the result was all but sealed. Despite a late flourish from Romario Shepherd, MI Emirates were restricted to 188 for 7.

For the Vipers, it means a third final appearance in four seasons, and this time, they arrive with serious momentum. MI Emirates, meanwhile, still has a lifeline and will face the winner of the Eliminator for another shot at the title.

One thing’s certain: on this night in Abu Dhabi, Andries Gous didn’t just play an innings, he made ILT20 history.