Pakistani left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has been drafted into the Desert Vipers squad for the ongoing DP World ILT20. The 30-year-old links up with the table-topping Vipers following the departure of Afghanistan left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad.
Zafar arrives off the back of List A cricket in Pakistan, and that followed an excellent season in English county cricket for Middlesex where he took 38 wickets in first-class cricket, making him the leading spin bowler in Division 2 of the County Championship.
The player, who has one Test and one One-Day International cap for Pakistan, also played every match for Middlesex in the 2025 T20 Blast, taking 14 wickets, and that form saw him snapped up by the Oval Invincibles for the men’s Hundred, part of a squad that also featured Sam Curran.
Zafar has previously featured in the Pakistan Super League for Lahore Qalanders and Islamabad United.
Desert Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the services of Zafar and look forward to him playing a significant role for us as we go in search of our first DP World ILT20 title.
“Zafar has international experience and significant Twenty20 experience and, as he bowls left-arm spin, he adds variety to our attack.
“He is a player I signed this year for the Oval Invincibles and so I am well aware of his attributes.
“He is accurate and he joins us off the back of not only an excellent season in English county cricket but also recent cricket in Pakistan where he has been showcasing his ability with not only the ball but also the bat.
“Zafar adds quality and depth to our bowling resources, and we are sure he will have a role to play as the tournament moves towards its conclusion.
“We thank Noor for stepping in when Wanindu Hasaranga was unable to play for us this season. He was a superb addition to our squad, and we wish him well with what he is next in line to do.”
The Desert Vipers’ final match of the league stage of the DP World ILT20, against the Sharjah Warriorz in Sharjah on 26 December, will be followed by Qualifier 1 in Abu Dhabi on 30 December.
If the Vipers win that match, they will go forward to the final on 4 January; if they lose then they will have a second chance to reach the final via Qualifier 2 in Sharjah on 2 January.
