Vipers Voices

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we reflect upon the Vipers side’s third match of the Development Tournament, this time against Gulf Giants, and it’s produced a second Vipers victory, this time by four wickets with three overs in hand. We hear from the Desert Vipers’ Development Lead, Jack Luffman, the Vipers’ head coach for these matches, as he gives us his take on the game. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we continue our coverage of the ILT20 Development Tournament. And after the Vipers side’s win against MI Emirates in match one, this time Vriitya Aravind’s team came up short, losing by two wickets to the Sharjah Warriorz side in a repeat of the final of the previous Development Tournament, 12 months ago. Coming up, we hear from Vriitya as he gives us his perspective on the loss. All six franchises have sides in the Development Tournament at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City, which serves as a shop window for the UAE players ahead of the player auction in early October that precedes season 5 of the DP World ILT20. One thing is certain and that is there’s not much time to dwell on the reverse as the Vipers team is next in action just 24 hours later, against Gulf Giants, all part of a short, sharp tournament that lasts just 11 days. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Vipers Voices is our first one covering this year's ILT20 Development Tournament, a major marker ahead of season 5 of the DP World ILT20. And the good news is that the Desert Vipers side are off to a winning start with a four-wicket success against the MI Emirates team at the ICC Academy on Monday evening. Coming up we hear from Desert Vipers’ Development Lead Jack Luffman, who’s coaching the Vipers for this tournament, as he did last season when the team finished as runners-up, and also the side’s captain Vriitya Aravind, as they talk us through the action. It’s a short, sharp event, with all six sides in the DP World ILT20 fielding line-ups in this competition and the purpose is to showcase UAE players ahead of the auction at the beginning of October. The Vipers side is next in action on Wednesday night, the 16th of September, against the Sharjah Warriorz team, again at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail We’re back with news of the Desert Vipers squad for the Development Tournament that takes place later on in September. The Development Tournament is an event involving representative sides from all six DP World ILT20 franchises and features UAE qualified players. It is those players’ shop window to be noticed and ultimately picked up by the franchises when the auction for Season 5 of the main event happens, in early October. Coming up we speak with the Vipers’ head coach for the Development Tournament, Jack Luffman, who gives us the A to Z on the squad for the event that will take place at the ICC Academy from the 14th to the 24th of September. And Jack also talks to us about the Vipers’ Talent Pathway Programme – something of real relevance given the Vipers squad for the Development Tournament includes players from that scheme. Our chat is a terrific listen and well worth your time. Incidentally, if you’re listening to this podcast and would like to enroll your son or daughter into the Desert Vipers Talent Pathway Programme in Dubai then your first step is to email Jack Luffman who can be reached at jack@thedesertvipers.com . That’s jack@thedesertvipers.com The Vipers have five group games in the Development Tournament, starting with a match against MI Emirates on Monday the 14th of September, the first day of action. They then play Sharjah Warriorz on the 16th, Giant Giants on the 17th, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on Sunday the 20th and finally Dubai Capitals on the 21st. If the team makes it through to the final stages, the semi-finals are on Wednesday the 23rd of September and the final is the following day. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we can confirm the players who have been retained and signed by the Vipers for Season 5 of the league. The organisers have allowed a maximum of four retentions and direct signings ahead of a player auction in October and the players that are now on the Vipers books for a tilt at back-to-back titles are Andries Gous, Dan Lawrence, Shimron Hetmyer and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the latter, the Afghanistan mystery spinner being the franchise’s direct signing. Coming up we hear from Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody, who explains the thinking behind the retentions and the signing, as well as offering an explanation for some of the big names who don’t feature in the retained list and the challenges for the Vipers and other franchises in the face of league regulations relating to players for the coming season. Tom also talks to us about the recent ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, which saw the Vipers finish third in the five-team event in Guyana, the first time the side had competed outside the UAE – and he discusses the prospect of the Vipers going back-to-back this season. Can the team become the first to retain the DP World ILT20 crown? Well, Tom lets us have his thoughts on that. It’s a great listen, as it always is when Tom speaks, and it’s well worth your time... https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we wrap up the Vipers’ participation in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) – both on and off the field. We speak with Vipers CEO Phil Oliver about the successes and disappointments of the side’s campaign and we also hear from Alan Smith of NatureWave, one of the Vipers’ key partners in activities away from the tournament action. The GSL was a five-team event that also featured the hosts and defending champions the Guyana Amazon Warriors from the Caribbean Premier League, the San Francisco Unicorns of the USA's Major League Cricket, the Lahore Qalandars from the Pakistan Super League and Australia’s Perth Scorchers XI from the Big Bash League and it was the first time the Vipers had played in a competition outside of the UAE. Phil also looks ahead to the ILT20 Development Tournament, set for September, and Season 5 of the DP World ILT20 with the Vipers hoping to become the first side to win back-to-back titles. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we hear how the Vipers were knocked out of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League. In Friday night's Qualifier for the Grand Final at Providence Stadium, the Vipers suffered an eight wicket loss to the San Francisco Unicorns, meaning that it’s the USA side that goes forward to Saturday’s ultimate match against the hosts and defending champions the Guyana Amazon Warriors. The Vipers made 122 for seven after being put into bat and the Unicorns replied with 126 for two, winning with 23 balls in hand. Coming up we hear from head coach Azhar Mahmood as he reflects on the defeat and also the tournament as a whole. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail Ahead of the Vipers’ Qualifier in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League against the San Francisco Unicorns on Friday night, the match to decide which team goes forward to face the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Grand Final on Saturday, we hear from teenage spin sensation Vitel Lawes. The 19 year-old, a late call-up for the squad, has featured in every match of the tournament for the franchise, bowling with impressive maturity and control but it was his batting that helped secure the latest win for Shadab Khan’s side, against the Perth Scorchers XI, a result that secured that Qualifier spot. Vitel was in the midst of his debut international series, the five One-Day Internationals against New Zealand in Guyana and Barbados, when he was offered the chance to join the Vipers and in our chat he explains how that felt and also why he jumped at the opportunity. Vitel also tells us about his cricketing journey – how it began in his native Jamaica, who his main mentor is and who he looks up to as a cricketing hero. He also tells about his experience of playing in the GSL, his first franchise tournament, including his dramatic contribution to the win against the Perth Scorchers XI and why he always appears so positive on the field.. Vitel also explains why he’s hungry for more opportunities to ply his trade. On top of all that, he discusses the Vipers’ prospects in the Qualifier against the San Francisco Unicorns, a match that is win or bust for both teams. It’s a great introduction to a player who, if he maintains his current trajectory, is someone who will be around at the top level for many years to come. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail It’s back-to-back wins for the Vipers in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, this time beating the Perth Scorchers XI – but this win was by the narrowest margin, just one wicket. Shadab Khan’s side restricted the Australian team to 112 for six but really struggled to chase that score down and it took last man Vitel Lawes in partnership with Nathan Smith to add 12 runs for the 10th wicket to get the side over the line. Coming up we hear from assistant coach Shane Dowrich as he talks us through the nervy end to the match and plenty more besides. The win means that the only way the Vipers can be denied a spot in the play-offs is if the San Francisco Unicorns win and win well against the Lahore Qalandars on Wednesday, the final day of the group stage of the competition. If the Vipers make it through then they will play in the Qualifier on Friday night with the final the following evening. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail The Vipers have kept themselves alive in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League. Needing a win against the San Francisco Unicorns to retain a chance of reaching the play-offs, the Vipers achieved just that – and in emphatic fashion too, securing a victory by nine wickets, chasing down 152 with 23 balls to spare thanks to four wickets from captain Shadab Khan and fifties by Zachary Carter and Saiteja Mukkamalla. Coming up we hear from Saiteja on the importance of the win, his innings and also the chance to bat in the slipstreams of not only Zach Carter but also Rilee Rossouw. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we look back at a heartbreaking two-wicket loss at the hands of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, including a chat with one of the Vipers’ standout performers of the match, wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind. The Vipers set a record for the tournament by posting a score of 205 for six after being put into bat, with that batting effort anchored by Rilee Rossouw’s 61 from 48 balls, but the record score only lasted a couple of hours as the Warriors chased it down in the final over, coming back from a seemingly hopeless position thanks to a remarkable eighth wicket stand of 91 in seven overs between Mohammad Nabi and Romario Shepherd. It means the Vipers are now nought from two after their previous loss to the Lahore Qalandars and so nothing less than two wins from their final two group games, against the San Francisco Unicorns on Monday night and the Perth Scorchers 24 hours later, will do if the side is to give itself a chance of reaching the play-offs. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail it’s time to recap on the first match for the side in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League – a 38-run loss to the Lahore Qalandars. Coming up we hear from one of the stars of the day for the Vipers, left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, who was the pick of the attack with 2 for 14 from three overs. The Qalandars won an important toss, made 176 for four, with 67 coming from the final five overs, and then the Vipers responded with 138 for nine. There’s no time for the side to feel sorry for themselves as the matches come thick and fast in this competition and it’s just a little over a day before the Vipers are next in action – against the hosts and defending champions, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, under lights at what’s sure to be a packed, noisy and partisan Providence Stadium. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail On the eve of the Vipers’ first match in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, against the Lahore Qalanders on Friday the 24th of July, we speak with captain Shadab Khan. Shadab talks us through the build-up, the possible selection permutations, the opposition, the role of the UAE players and the mood in the Vipers camp ahead of match one – and if you’re a Vipers fan then you’ll be left smiling at the end of our chat, such is his positivity. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail As the clock ticks down to the start of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League and the Vipers’ first match of that tournament, against the Lahore Qalandars on Friday the 24th of July, this time we catch up with the side’s Head Coach Azhar Mahmood. Azhar talks to us about the squad coming together in Georgetown ahead of that first match, the challenges that have been thrown the way of the franchise with multiple player changes being forced upon it through injury and unavailability, and plenty more besides. It’s a chat that, as ever, is well worth your time. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail With us just three days from the Vipers' first match of the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, against the Lahore Qalandars, we speak with wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous. The fact we’re speaking with him in Georgetown, as the squad gets together in the tournament city, is one indicator of how close we are to the start of the tournament and given Andries has arrived off the back of a superb season in Major League Cricket in the USA there’s plenty for us to catch up about. It's also worth reminding you of the final Vipers squad for the Global Super League, as there have been several changes due to injury and unavailability since the line-up was first announced. So, the squad is: Shadab Khan, who is captain, taking over that role from the injured Chris Green Andries Gous Kyle Mayers Rilee Rossouw, the South African batter who’s taken Chris Green’s place in the squad Vitel Lawes, a West Indies under-19 batter, who has replaced New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell after Daryl suffered a hip injury during the One-Day International series against the West Indies that’s taking place immediately before the Global Super League Zachary Carter, another West Indies under-19 player Bevon Jacobs Vriitya Aravind Saiteja Mukkamalla, the USA wicketkeeper-batter who has replaced Khuzaima bin Tanveer, with the UAE fast bowler ruled out through national commitments Nathan Smith, the New Zealand bowling all-rounder, who’s replaced fellow Black Caps fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, who himself replaced Australia left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff Sanjay Pahal Khary Pierre Ramon Simmonds and Matiullah Khan Matiullah, Vriitya and Sanjay are the three UAE players on duty in this tournament. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we thought it would be interesting to just take a step back from the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League and catch up on what’s happened over the past year with one of the Desert Vipers’ local, UAE initiatives, the franchise’s Talent Pathway Programme for young, up and coming boys and girls. Jack Luffman is the lead for the programme and coming up we speak with him about the operation, which wrapped up with the Apex Cricket Festival in the UK in late June and early July. Jack tells us about what makes the Vipers Talent Pathway Programme different from other coaching offerings in the UAE and he looks ahead to what the second year, starting in September, has in store. It’s a great insight into an area of the Vipers work that, while it doesn’t receive the same coverage as the headline-making performances in the DP World ILT20, is nevertheless a key building block for the franchise in its efforts to lay down long-term roots in the country and the region. The Vipers’ Talent Pathway Programme powered by Balqis Capital, was launched in September and October of 2025 and has been designed to identify, nurture and develop elite young cricketers in the UAE. It’s about scouting and selecting high-potential boys and girls at under-14, 16 and 19 levels and then providing them with top-level coaching, facilities and support systems, as well as analysis. There’s also game exposure of course, most recently exemplified by the Apex Cricket Festival in the UK, plus, ultimately, the chance to be part of what the Vipers hope will be a pathway of talent from the programme through to the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament, which is itself a feeder for UAE players to the senior squads that take place in the DP World ILT20. The programme is for girls and boys and the Vipers are hopeful that the role they’re playing with girls cricket means that whenever the ILT20 expands to include a women’s tournament, the Vipers have already created a pipeline and a route map for local talent to be part of the franchise. if you or a child of yours wants to be a part of the Talent Pathway Programme going forward then you can find out more information by contacting Jack at pathway@thedesertvipers.com or calling or messaging Jack on +971 50511 8526. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we speak with new recruit Nathan Smith. The New Zealand fast bowling all-rounder has been drafted into the squad for the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League following the withdrawal of fellow Black Caps player Kyle Jamieson, and he offers the Vipers a precious commodity – first-hand knowledge of conditions. That’s because Nathan is part of the New Zealand One-Day International squad that’s currently in action in Guyana for a series against the West Indies, and so he’s experiencing the same conditions at Providence Stadium that the Vipers will come up against when the Global Super League gets underway. Nathan comes into the Global Super League very much as a player on the rise in international cricket. He has arrived in the Caribbean off the back of a player of the series performance for New Zealand in their three-Test series against England, taking 16 wickets and also contributing handy runs in the lower-middle order. The GSL will be his first experience of franchise cricket, and during our chat he explains why that is, but he’s not short of T20 experience as, during the past two years, he’s appeared for first Worcestershire and then Surrey in the T20 Blast in England and Wales. He talks us through those two stints in county cricket and also discusses that England Test series which saw him operate with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell up at the stumps, an unusual situation for a bowler of Nathan’s pace. We discuss whether that approach, designed to keep batters in their crease and inhibit their movements, has any potential mileage in the GSL and we also discuss conditions in Guyana – the heat, the humidity, the dew factor and the potential for big crowds to be making lots of noise. Nathan explains how he thinks the Vipers can come together quickly as a unit to give themselves the best opportunity to be successful and he also gives us his thoughts on the two other New Zealand players in the squad – Bevon Jacobs and Daryl Mitchell, with Daryl coming into the GSL off the back of a fantastic, match-winning hundred in the deciding Test of the series against England at Trent Bridge, when he took numerous blows to the body but refused to back down. That will be the sort of attitude the Vipers will need to show to give themselves the best chance of success at Providence Stadium in Guyana. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we catch up with the player who has just been confirmed as the Vipers’ captain for the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan. Shadab will lead the side for the GSL after Chris Green, the player originally named as captain, had to pull out of the tournament with a hand injury. We speak with Shadab about his captaincy background, his leadership style and his role models, his superb form in the latest edition of the Pakistan Super League, and his experience of playing in the Caribbean and Guyana in particular, something that will be of vital importance for the upcoming action. He also talks us through the impact a recent shoulder surgery has had on him and the positive way it has affected his cricket. It’s another terrific conversation and it’s one you’ll definitely enjoy. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we catch up with an up-and-coming star who’s linking up with the Vipers for the first time – New Zealand middle-order batter Bevon Jacobs. Bevon has enjoyed a breakthrough past 12 months, making his international debut for New Zealand in the Twenty20 International format, and now he’s all set to take his bow for the Vipers in the upcoming ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League that’s due to take place in late July and early August. Observant Vipers fans will remember he played for MI Emirates in the third season of the DP World ILT20 and, off the back of that, he got to spend a season with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. Coming up Bevon talks us through those experiences. He made his international debut in Zimbabwe against the country of his birth, South Africa, in the middle of last year and made an immediate impact, with an unbeaten 44 from 30 balls, as he helped rescue the Black Caps and put them on the road to victory, and he has gone from strength to strength after that impressive start. Bevon played in the Caribbean Premier League for the Antigua and Barbuda franchise and was then the breakout star of the New Zealand Super Smash which helped earn him a spot in this year’s Pakistan Super League. On top of that, after the PSL, Bevon made his maiden international fifty, against Bangladesh in Mirpur, and now’s he’s all set for the Global Super League – a year after he looked set to play in the tournament for the Dubai Capitals, only for other commitments to prevent that from happening. Within our chat, Bevon talks of the role of the finisher in the T20 format – the mindset required and also the type of practice that a player such as him has to do to ensure he is best prepared for what’s required. He also speaks with us about his background, as well as his aspirations for the future. All in all, it’s a terrific conversation. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com

Send us Fan Mail This time we’ve got a very special episode for you - and something a bit different. Coming up we hear from Mickey Arthur, the decorated coach who’s been in charge of four different national teams, and also Tom Bruce, who was part of the Vipers squad in Season 4, the side’s first title success. And why have we brought these two together for this podcast? Well, they have one thing in common and that is that they both have first-hand experience of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League that the Vipers are set to take part in at the end of July. Mickey has been coach for Rangpur Riders, the side from Bangladesh that won the first edition and was runners-up last season; and Tom was part of the New Zealand team the Central Stags, which was part of that second season, in 2025. On that basis they can offer valuable perspectives into what the tournament is like and what it takes to be successful there. It’s a terrific chat with the duo and hopefully you’ll find it a fascinating insight into the event the Vipers are set to be part of for the first time later this year. https://www.thedesertvipers.com https://twitter.com/TheDesertVipers https://www.instagram.com/thedesertvipers/ https://balqiscapital.com