Desert Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson says the pressure is off UAE fast bowler Khuzaima bin Tanveer ahead of Season 4 of the DP World ILT20.
Khuzaima was one of the breakout stars of Season 3, taking four wickets on debut against the Sharjah Warriorz and being entrusted with the last over of the final against the Dubai Capitals.
He was an unknown quantity last season but now, after being retained by the Vipers ahead of the first-ever DP World ILT20 player auction, he is a player who comes into Season 4 with a high reputation.
That could bring with it expectation, but Ferguson said: “From our point of view there is no pressure.
“Khuzaima is an exceptional bowler regardless of the level of cricket he is playing in and his ceiling is so high.
“He has got such great abilities and his mindset around fast bowling is fantastic too.
“He is one of those players that is keen to learn and he just soaks it all in. Not only does he listen to what the leaders say around him but he also implements it pretty quickly.
“Last year I think he developed quickly through the tournament and I have been following his progress since and he has been doing well this season too.
“I am excited to see what he brings this year. Nothing needs to change from his point of view. He has got great skills, he is super accurate and he bowls quick – that is a pretty good mixture.
“Last season Khuzaima was fantastic coming into the group. He is a star for the area but also a star for the Desert Vipers and he has been developing very nicely over the past year so I will be interested to see how he goes this season.
“If I was to have a player to look out for this season then he would be that pick – doing well in the T10 this season too.
“I want him to enjoy it. I am looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Khuzaima still has a year to go before he qualifies to play for the UAE but, in the meantime, he will have the chance to work alongside not only captain Ferguson once more but also Pakistan pace ace Naseem Shah.
That trio certainly offers plenty of food for thought for opposition batters and Ferguson said he was looking forward to working with Naseem and swapping tips and hints among the fast bowling cartel.
“I have played a lot against Naseem and I get very excited about guys who can bowl at 150 (kilometres per hour) so it is great to have him on our side,” he said. “He has got a lot of skills with the ball so I am sure he will have a lot of success in this tournament.
“People talk about the fast-bowling community but, in my experience, the people who have given me the most help along the way have been other fast bowlers – and it is not always team mates as well.
“I think there is a shared respect for the difficulty that comes with fast bowling but also the enjoyment factor to see fast bowlers do well.
“When I am working with young fast bowlers, regardless of whether I am playing with them, I will give them tips, I am always open to that – as other bowlers have been in my development phase.
“I think nothing will change with this group.
“I am very excited about the fast bowling group we have – we have got skills, left-hand, right-hand, pace, changes of pace, swing with David Payne, Sam Curran with changes of pace and inswing too.
“So, we have got it all and we just need to put those skills on the park.”
For the captain, the DP World ILT20 represents a chance to press his claim for an international recall after a year away from the New Zealand team. And it is perfect timing with the ICC men’s T20 World Cup coming up early next year in India and Sri Lanka.
Ferguson said that was certainly on his mind but, for now, his focus was all-in with the Desert Vipers.
“I love playing for New Zealand and I was disappointed not to play the home summer last season but I had an injury and that is part of the gig of bowling fast,” he said.
Ferguson: “Last season Khuzaima was fantastic coming into the group. He is a star for the area but also a star for the Desert Vipers and he has been developing very nicely over the past year so I will be interested to see how he goes this season.
“If I was to have a player to look out for this season then he would be that pick – doing well in the T10 this season too.”
“I am still in close contact with the team and if they want me, I definitely want to play.
“It is above my paygrade how that selection pans out. I am very much in my mind building towards that (T20 World Cup) as a real goal because I love playing for New Zealand and with that group of players it is just about as close as it gets to a family within cricket.
“With the success the Black Caps have had over a number of years, it would be nice to go all the way (in the T20 World Cup).
“There is plenty to look forward to but I am very much a game-by-game, tournament-by-tournament guy. I will get started here and my focus is on the Vipers.
“It is like a comfy slipper to be back here. We will start with the first game on Tuesday and go from there.”
And how does he think the Vipers will get on this term?
“Every team will be thinking optimistically about this tournament,” he said. “But from last year we have got the same core and the same coaching group so everything seems familiar.
“From there it is then on us to turn up for that first game and we then continue that attitude throughout the tournament. We prided ourselves on that last season.
“We do have a different looking team this year but it is exciting. We get the chance to work with new players and try to create something fresh this year.
“There were lots of positives to take from last year but we do start fresh this season and at training I felt the group seemed very motivated and we are really excited to get underway.”
