Desert Vipers Head Coach James Foster has said that “keeping things really simple” will be the best recipe for success in this season’s DP World ILT20.

The Vipers go into the opening match of the tournament on Tuesday the 2^nd of December, against the Dubai Capitals in a repeat of last season’s final, having played in the ultimate match twice without being able to secure the silverware.

But, rather than thinking about that too much, Foster told the Vipers Voices podcast that focusing on what was in front of the squad, instead of thinking too far ahead, was the mindset he wanted from his players.

“It is just (about) keeping things really simple,” he said. “Yes, we have got the goal to win the tournament, just the same as every other team, but (for us) it is just keeping things really simple.

“I know players will say it is about one game at a time, but it really is breaking it down as much as that, seeing where we are at, and just putting in our best performances or giving ourselves the best chance to be putting in our best performances every single time that we go out in the field.”

The eve-of-match practice session at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City was the first time all the squad had been together, with Khuzaima bin Tanveer, Qais Ahmad and Andries Gous all involved in the latter stages of the T10 tournament in Abu Dhabi, while Tom Bruce was a late arrival after domestic commitments in New Zealand.

That late coming together of the players could be seen as a disadvantage, but Foster preferred to look at it through a lens of positivity and played down any possibility of the quartet being jaded ahead of the season’s opener.

“I think playing cricket is really good because you are match-fit and match-ready to come here,” he said.

“It is about the players then getting what they need out of today’s (final) training as opposed to (telling them) ‘You need to do X, Y and Z,’ so, if they want to hit they hit, if they want to bowl (they) bowl (and) if they want to chill they can chill.

“It is getting them to be in the right frame of mind for tomorrow’s game.”

Talking of that game, how important did Foster think it was for his side to get off to a winning start?

“It is always nice to win your first game, but it is always nice to win every game that you play and you always prepare to win, but the reality is that is not always going to happen so we will manage that.

“It is all ifs and buts at the moment (and), for me, the focus is purely about preparing the guys for the first game giving as much role clarity as you possibly can, getting guys in the right frame of mind and just (for them to) be ready to put on the show tomorrow.”

One player the team will be without at the start of the tournament is talismanic leg-spinning Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, a Viper since Season 1, and a player who has driven the team forward in each of the first three campaigns.

But Foster said he was content they had found the ideal replacement in Afghanistan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad.

“Hasaranga has been phenomenal for us and it is a real shame that he will not be here for the start but that is how it is,” he said.

“We have got a fantastic replacement in Noor, who is young and exciting. Yes, he is a different type of spinner (to Hasaranga and has a) different type of skill-set, but (he is) a wicket-taker just like Hasaranga, so we are absolutely delighted that Noor has joined us.”

Foster said he was also delighted at the first impression he had formed of Bilal Tahir from Kuwait and Faisal Khan from Saudi Arabia, two newcomers to the Vipers this term as part of the DP World ILT20’s connections with cricket in those two countries.

“I have been very impressed,” he said. “We really have two very nice batters and they are also both bowling some spin as well and I think this is a great opportunity for them, a great learning opportunity, bearing in mind they get to rub shoulders with some world-class players. 

“When I speak to them, they seem very excited, they have always got really big smiles on their faces, and they are adding to the group which is great.

“I was talking on Sunday about the learnings that they will hopefully make here which I am very confident that they will in all aspects of the game – not just the technical aspect but also the mental side, the fitness side, the environment side, the way you train.

“Then they can pass that back on when they get back home and then, all of a sudden, it starts organically spreading. This is a great opportunity for the guys, and they have been fitting in really well.”

And what about the prospect of going up against the Capitals again, just 10 months after the heartbreak of losing a final against them in Season 3? Is it all about revenge for that loss?

“It is just the first game of the season, it is really the way I see it,” said Foster.

“They have got a very different looking squad from what they had last season, so a lot has passed since then.

“For us it is about keeping things very simple whether it is Dubai in the first game or any of the other teams.

“It is just about us doing our research, going about our business and then knowing, on the day, we take on a very good team.”

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.

“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.”

Desert Vipers all-rounder Sam Curran says excitement rather than any pressure of expectation is his overriding sensation coming into Season 4 of the DP World ILT20.

Sam was player of the tournament in Season 3, and the expectation that he could or should perform at that same level this time around might be seen as a potential inhibitor.

But far from viewing things in that way, Sam told the Vipers Voices podcast he was in a great frame of mind to do well again this term.

“Pressure could come from the expectation,” he said. “Expectation is always there but I think the key for me is the enjoyment factor is there with the Vipers – the franchise set-up is done really well.

“I am excited. I always have those nerves of excitement but it is a fantastic season ahead hopefully.

“Success last season gives me great confidence coming into a tournament like this, playing at the same grounds we played at back then.

“And for me it comes down to the idea of returning to a team and environment you know. I have had a nice bat and a bowl in our practice session (on Saturday morning) with coaches I know, like Azhar Mahmood, who is back (with the Vipers after missing Season 3) and who is someone who knows me really well (through our work together with Surrey) and I am feeling good for what lies ahead.”

Sam comes into the tournament off the back of a recall to the England white-ball set-up, thanks in part to his excellence for the Vipers last season.

And he could not have timed that recall any better, with the ICC men’s T20 World Cup coming up in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026.

But rather than thinking too far ahead, Sam said he was very much focused on what lay ahead with the Vipers in the DP World ILT20.

“(Being recalled by England) was a (personal) highlight of the summer and it was a nice way to finish that summer,” he said.

“It felt like I worked really hard to get back in that group and it was really special to go on that recent tour to New Zealand, have that England shirt back on and try and contribute to winning some games.

“I feel in a nice spot there and it is nice to be back in that environment, and hopefully I can keep pushing for my place in that side ahead of what is an exciting time after The Ashes, with the (ICC men’s) T20 World Cup.

“Ahead of that, there is no better way for me to go than to keep working on my game, improving and enjoying my cricket here with the Vipers.

“I am a man who takes my cricket one game at a time. The T20 World Cup is still a long way away and the Test side are in Australia playing in The Ashes so that is the big focus for England at the moment.

“For me, it is just a case of trying to keep on performing in the (DP World) ILT20, taking one game at a time, one week at a time.

“As the World Cup gets closer, then I might start thinking about it, but for now it is one game at a time and keep trying to win some games.”

A first win to target is the opener against the Dubai Capitals in a repeat of February’s final, a match the Vipers lost in heartbreaking fashion.

And Sam said he was really looking forward to renewing the rivalry with the Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.  

“Looking back on that final, it was a great game and I felt we dominated most parts of it,” he said.

“To fall a little bit short hurts a lot, especially when you lose those close games. But we play so many games of cricket that you have just got to learn from it. We have got to the final a couple of times and hopefully this year we can go that one step further and win the trophy.

“Hindsight (over what we could have done differently) is a wonderful thing. We had a really good score on the board and I thought we bowled really well. Then there was the stumping (that we thought we had) when Nathan Sowter was bowling and Rovman Powell, a quality player, (then) took it away from us.

“In the end, they were the winners but that gives a little bit more hunger and attitude to take it one step further this year.

“It will be great to face the Capitals again. I landed on Friday morning, began by chatting with (Director of Cricket) Tom Moody and (Head Coach) James Foster and we started to look ahead to that first game.

“For the Capitals to be the first game of the season is exciting. I think we played them four times last season and they are a quality team. So, two quality teams starting the new season here in Dubai will be fascinating.

“There will be a lot of people going into that game not sure how the wicket will play (as the tournament is taking place at a different time of year from usual), and how the two teams will stack up against each other.

“It is a rivalry of two good teams but the Capitals look very different from last season. We have made a few changes too but the set-up has done really well – and that is what good franchise teams do – to keep the nice core of players, coaches and management.”

One highlight of Season 3 was the ongoing rivalry between Sam and Capitals all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, and Sam said he was looking forward to going up against the former Afghanistan captain again this season.

“Gulbadin and I had some good banter on the field last season. He is a great cricketer and he had a fantastic tournament last season,” he said.

“Getting into the battle with all the players on the circuit like Gulbadin is something I love. It is very feisty on the pitch but it is all a bit of fun, making sure there is nothing overstepping the mark.

“I hope we have a good battle and hopefully we will see some fun coming across.”

And as for the Vipers chances of securing a first title this term, Sam was in positive mood as he looked ahead to the coming month of action.

“Looking at the teams, it seems that the tournament has got stronger in terms of the players that are coming here,” he said.

“Every team can have a good team on paper and in this case I think all teams do.

“We flew out of the blocks last season, won a lot of games and then fell at the final hurdle but we will learn from that.

“The tournament is unique in that the conditions at each ground are quite different and so a key is whoever adapts to the conditions best and gels as a team will do well.

“For us, I think we have a good vibe already around the team, the same coaching staff and the same core of the squad with a few nice additions, so I am extremely excited.”

The Desert Vipers are pleased to confirm Balqis Capital as Associate Sponsor, Private Credit Services and Balqis Elite as Associate Sponsor, Concierge Services. This is an extension of an already successful collaboration which began in season three of the DP World ILT20. 

The Balqis Capital logo and the Balqis Elite logo will appear on the team’s training and playing jerseys, and their branding will appear on the in-stadia big screens in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and on the perimeter advertising boards at these venues during Vipers matches.

During the initial year of partnership, both brands collaborated extensively to advance their mutual mission of generating opportunities within and beyond the cricket arena. 

This objective was achieved through organised networking events, such as the Golf Day, and the launch of an innovative cricket Talent Pathway Programme designed for emerging cricketers.

The Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver welcomed the renewed partnership with Balqis Capital and said: “We are delighted to continue our valuable relationship with Balqis Capital. In just one year we have already achieved so many important goals together. 

“The Talent Pathway Programme, powered by Balqis Capital, has greatly contributed to our community engagement initiatives. Thanks to Balqis, we have given students a chance to train with the Desert Vipers’ top coaches and experience what it is like to be an international cricketer. Their support has brought to fruition a project that has been very important to the Desert Vipers.

“We look forward to building on this and so much more over the next twelve months.”

Balqis Capital  provides investors, introducers and institutional partners with access to carefully designed opportunities that combine attractive fixed returns with real-asset backing. 

The company has a passion for sport with a special interest in backing athletes and supporting them financially, while also working with them on private credit projects to help set them up for a financially secure retirement. 

Balqis Capital has recently launched a sports division – Balqis Elite, which also features on the Desert Vipers kit. Balqis Elite is an online luxury goods and concierge services destination, exclusively for sports professionals. 

This pioneering platform has also been created for high net worth individuals to gain access to specially curated products and services. The collaboration with the Desert Vipers has been a catalyst for this venture. 

Balqis Capital CEO Laura Mann said partnering with the Desert Vipers was a natural fit with the collaboration only set to grow.

She said: “Over the next year, our focus is on elevating the Talent Pathway to become the most prestigious academy of its kind anywhere in the world. We want to give young players access to world-class coaching, facilities and mentors, and create a clear pathway for emerging talent to break into the elite game. Our ambition is to help shape the next generation of cricketers by providing opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.”