Although the Desert Vipers have already qualified for the end-of-season playoffs, there will be no drop-off in the desire to keep winning in their three remaining DP World ILT20 league fixtures according to Pakistan opening batter Fakhar Zaman.

Fakhar Zaman, who produced his highest score of the season thus far, 44 from 32 balls, in the side’s first reverse of the campaign, a one-run loss to the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on Tuesday, told the Vipers Voices podcast the team was keen to win every match from here on.

“As we move towards the playoffs it is very important (that we keep the winning momentum),” he said. “Because winning and losing is a habit so I think winning means a lot and especially in these games, we have to fight til the end; we have to try to win each and every game. 

“This is our team motto also, so it means a lot to go into the playoffs by winning the games.”

 Fakhar added he was also pleased about his own improving form: “I was talking to Tom (Moody) about that, that I was feeling comfortable in the last innings and, of course, if you are scoring 30s and 40s it means that you are in a good nick in T20s, because it is a very high-risk game. So if it is your day, you can make it big.”

The top-order batter’s Pakistan team-mate Hassan Nawaz also showed off a glimpse of his hitting abilities in his last two outings, with 31 from 17 balls against the Dubai Capitals and 23 in 14 deliveries versus the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

But, according to Fakhar, the best is still to come from Hassan.

“Hassan (Nawaz) is a kind of player that can play anywhere (in the order) and you need those kinds of players in your team who can play down the order or at top of the order. 

“I will talk about his talent, because he is such a great, talented player and his six-hitting ability is one of the best I have ever seen. I hope you will see more [of this] guy because he has not showed his full ability so I hope that he will show us his abilities especially in the playoffs.”

The Desert Vipers team management has called upon Fakhar Zaman to also play the role of mentor in the dressing room, bringing together the various groups of players therein and Fakhar said he really appreciated that additional responsibility.

“When our Head Coach talks to me and wants me to talk to some of the players or to the juniors about specific things, I really enjoy that role,” he said. “It makes me feel so good that our management wants something different out of me and that matters a lot to me also. 

“I am enjoying that and, to be honest, it helps me to know more things about different personalities.

“As we grow as players, so we learn many things and that is true, and I like to share my knowledge with youngsters so I really like these things and the way the youngsters respond to my words is something special.”

 The Pakistan batter has been very impressed with the maturity and development he has seen in fast bowler Khuzaima Bin Tanveer and he said the player, who is currently qualifying for the UAE, has a great career ahead of him.

“Khuzaima is such a great talent, not just as a bowler but I think he is a very handy batter and a very decent fielder. He has matured in the last year.

“I think his pace is the same but the way he is hitting those lengths consistently is amazing. And last year he was not bowling with the new ball but this year he is, and also at the death.  

“He has matured so much within one year so it means that he knows how to carry himself and I believe that in a few years he will be a great asset for the UAE team.”

The Desert Vipers suffered their first defeat of Season 4 of the DP World ILT20 by the narrowest of margins – one run – to the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) in Abu Dhabi. 

Chasing 182 to win, the Vipers needed three off the final ball, managed to score just one, thus ending their winning streak of six successive matches at the start of this edition of the tournament.   

Put in to bat by the Desert Vipers, ADKR had a shaky start, losing a wicket to the first ball of their innings to Khuzaima Bin Tanveer’s brilliance. ADKR fell to 9/2 after Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson followed up with a wicket in the second over of the innings.

But an impressive recovery followed, led by Liam Livingstone and Alex Hales and later Alishan Sharafu. The Knight Riders scored 69 from their final five overs and reached 181/5 in their 20 overs. 

Top-scorer for ADKR was Livingstone with 76 off 48 deliveries and UAE batter Sharafu shared a 68-run partnership with him as he scored 39 from 35 balls. 

The Desert Vipers’ run chase began well through a 97-run opening partnership between Max Holden (52 off 43) and Fakhar Zaman (44 from 32), but thanks to some disciplined and clever bowling from ADKR they were able to pull back the advantage and script a dramatic win.

Match Scores: 

Toss: Desert Vipers

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders: 181/5 (20 overs)

Top scorer: Liam Livingstone 76 (from 48 deliveries)

Desert Vipers: 180/6 (20 overs)

Top scorer: Max Holden 52 (43)

Match Result: ADKR won by 1 run.
Player of the Match: Liam Livingstone

Here are some quotes from the Vipers Voices post-match vodcast and podcast featuring Desert Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson:

On the narrow defeat by just one run to ADKR: 

“I think our fans are probably getting used to close games, so we are certainly playing an entertaining brand of cricket but yes, one run. It is one of those things in T20 cricket that happens. 

“We could not quite get across the line tonight, but again we have had some great wins throughout the season, so obviously it is disappointing at the time, but looking forward we have got a lot of confidence and positivity in the group. We are looking forward to the next challenge.”

On whether there was anything the Desert Vipers could have done differently to take advantage of having reduced ADKR to 9-2 in the first two overs:  

“I think you always reflect and think you could have done more, but at the time the boys’ plans were very clear. Clearly they (ADKR) are world-class batters, so they saw that we were on top a little bit, soaked up the pressure as good batters do, and then they turned it back on us in the last six or seven overs.

“So you have to tip your hat at some point in time and realise that they are international batters and world-class for a reason. They played well tonight, and obviously they got the extra run that we could not. But that was the closest margin you can get. It is disappointing but, at the same time, I think that we are still very happy with the groove and how we are playing.”

On how he is feeling about his own bowling tonight after finishing with 3-34 in his four overs:

“The start of the tournament has been a bit rusty, coming off a bit of an injury, but generally speaking, I am trying to get better each game and just trying to learn from (my) mistakes.

“The group we have here with Azhar (Mahmood) the bowling coach, Fozzie (James Foster the Head Coach) getting around (and talking to) us is excellent. The communication has been great, the plans have been great, but execution is what it comes down to, and in tight games like this, it is important.

“I think the Knight Riders actually bowled really well tonight. They executed their yorkers very well, their slower balls were great, so, we can take some learnings from that and try to be better. We have got a few days off now, so this is an opportunity to work on those skills and come back on Saturday.”

On Khuzaima Bin Tanveer taking a wicket from the first ball of the match and his overall performance in the tournament so far: 

“He (Khuzaima Bin Tanveer) has been great. He was amazing last season and so he came into this season with a bit more expectation on his shoulders. But he has been rising to it, even tonight with the bat, he almost got us over the line at the end.

“The thing I love about Kuzzi (Khuzaima Bin Tanveer) is that even though we have good days and bad days on the field, the process and the mentality he has behind his game is great and I just see him going from strength to strength.

“He is learning from his mistakes very quickly; he understands that even though it is T20 cricket, there is still some patience needed when he swings the ball like he does. I have seen him grow through this tournament, and I hope he continues to grow through the finals for us.

“I am not surprised he is at the top of the wicket-takers (for the DP World ILT20 with 11 wickets so far), but I hope it continues for him, and even past this tournament, I am sure he will do really well.”

The Desert Vipers next play the Sharjah Warriorz at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, December the 20th, starting at 6:30 pm.

Tickets for all Desert Vipers matches are now available here

The Desert Vipers have set a new record for most successive wins in a DP World ILT20 season after a sixth straight victory, this one achieved in their annual Sustainability Match. The Vipers defeated the Dubai Capitals by five wickets with two balls to spare, chasing a target of 167. 

Sam Curran was awarded Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 52, along with a superb showing with the ball, where he took two wickets and gave away just 17 runs in three overs. 

Earlier the players donned a special match kit for the annual Sustainability Match inspired by the ‘Biodiversity Stripes’ representing the decline of global wildlife populations. 

Speaking about the annual event, Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver said he was proud of what the team had achieved so far: “We started this initiative over two years ago now, turning the Desert Vipers into the most sustainable cricket franchise in the world. We have made great progress, but we know there is a lot more to do.

“Our focus this year is very much on conservation and biodiversity. We have played in green for the whole tournament this time, and rather than making our Sustainability Match a one-off green thing, we thought we would do something very special and focus on nature and conservation which is now a central part of what we are doing as a franchise. 

“As well as connecting with local communities throughout the schools programme, our talent pathway, and working with a wide range of local companies, we are working very hard to make the connection between nature and sport. Because if there is something that I want everyone to take away from today, it is the notion that there is no sport without nature.”

Desert Vipers Head of Strategy Matt Bailey added: “We are lucky to have a really strong suite of partners behind us that support us in our work. It was a delight to see Carrefour Majid Al Futtaim, the leading supermarket here in the UAE. They are a returning partner of the team.

“And the focus of our work with them is around healthy eating and nutrition for young people. It is called the Bright Bites campaign. They have really fun characters, healthy snacks and special lunch boxes.

“We have agreed an important partnership with Middlesex University, where they are bringing in sports science to their curriculum in a very exciting way through an initiative that launches next January with a high-performance centre and strength and conditioning training. That is just another example of an amazing community partner that we have here in Dubai.

“The RAW Coffee Company is also another key partner and the exercise bike powering up their activation in the fan village was enjoyable. That partnership is about wellness through fitness and our effort there is to have a positive impact on the communities around us.”

The kit featured in the team photo before the match, where players held placards saying ‘Play for People and the Planet’ to emphasize their commitment to sustainability.

While fans packed the stadium, the Crickmas fan zone was bustling with activations organised by the Desert Vipers along with the DP World ILT20.

The partners of the Desert Vipers showed their support for the team’s sustainability efforts. Middlesex University handed out giveaway packs, while Bright Bites —Carrefour’s healthy snacking brand for children — sold nutritious snacks and hosted games where kids could win goodie bags.

The RAW Coffee Company’s “cycle-to-charge” activity was extremely popular, inviting visitors to test their fitness with the reward of a tasty coffee after a brief workout. 

Additionally, top coaches from the Vipers’ elite Talent Pathway Programme offered free coaching and fitness sessions for children in the fan zone.

On the field, the Vipers restricted the Capitals to 166 for four in their 20 overs before knocking off the runs, the match concluding with a Sam Curran six.

Here is a quick review of the match:

Match Scores: 

Toss: Desert Vipers 

Dubai Capitals: 166/4 (20 overs)

Top scorer: Leus du Plooy 54 (44 deliveries)

Top wicket-taker: Sam Curran 2-17

Desert Vipers: 171/5 (19.4 overs)

Top scorer: Sam Curran 52 not out (33) 

Match Result: Desert Vipers won by five wickets 

Player of the Match: Sam Curran 

Here are some quotes from the Vipers Voices post-match vodcast and podcast featuring Head Coach James Foster:

On winnings six games on the trot: 

“We are very happy. Six from six, if you had said the team would be here at the start of the campaign, I would have been absolutely over the moon. It was a challenging win today, against a good team on a challenging pitch. We adapted and got the win, so I am delighted.”

On how to avoid complacency setting in after qualifying for the play-offs with six wins in a row: 

“You just keep resetting after every game. We all go about our business. We do our research on the opposition, collectively and individually, whatever that might be.

“We prepare, we try and work out the right combinations to take on the opposition in the conditions. We just keep going about our business. Being six from six, there is no downside in that.

“As long as we are aware, and we have been, of a few areas that we can potentially improve on, that is exciting. We are playing well, and I also feel like there is more to come, which excites me as a coach, but also excites the group.”

Looking ahead to match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on Tuesday:

“They are a very dangerous team, like every other team. It would be foolish to turn up and just expect us to rock up and for a win to happen. We will be prepared, we will be doing our due diligence.

“You do not take anything for granted in this game, and if you do, it is a very, very risky ploy. They are a dangerous outfit. They will be wanting to win some games, so they will be coming hot.

“They have got match-winners top to tail with the ball and with the bat, so we are going to have to turn up there, be engaged, be switched on and give it our best shot.”