Pakistan’s top order superstar Fakhar Zaman is bracing for the DP World ILT20 (January 11-February 9) with the Desert Vipers – and he feels he still has plenty to give Pakistan.
It was Fakhar that Desert Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody targeted most during this year’s tournament in the UAE, and the Australian ICC Cricket World Cup champion describes the left-hander as “a real match-winner”.
Fakhar’s account: The chance to join the Desert Vipers was not one he had to give much thought to.
“Most of the Pakistani players that have been playing for Desert Vipers — Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Azam Khan, Mohammad Amir — they talk so much about this team, the place, the management, the way they play the cricket, the mindset,” he said.
‘So, when I got the offer and I’ve never talked to anybody, I just said “yes, I want to play for this team”.
“I was so excited and I mean I’m pretty much the fan of this team even before I came here so I am super excited to be here and I’m very happy.”
The 34-year-old hasn’t played for his country since the ICC T20 World Cup in June 2024 but he did not dismiss his international career as yet, he told the Vipers Voices podcast.
‘Cent percent I’m Pakistan (again),’ he said. “Well, a lot of people don’t know about that but after T20 World Cup I got sick and because of my health problem I was not fit so I wasn’t part of the team.
But now I am 100 per cent again and you’ll see me in the next international match which Pakistan plays”.
Former Pakistan opener Saim Ayub has recently injured himself while on Pakistan tour in South Africa and would have filled in for Fakhar, but the Pakistani batsman said he’ll remain with the Desert Vipers throughout the tournament and hopes Saim recovers as soon as possible.
“I pray and I believe he’ll recover very soon and I thought yesterday I was going to call Saim just to talk to him about this injury,” he said. ‘I mean come on you know, he is a great player if he keeps playing for four to five years then he’s going to be #1 and he’s one of the top three players in the world.
Fakhar has over 5000 internationals and more than 7000 Twenty20 innings but he is best known as an opener but has also played number one to six for Pakistan in the short international series.
And while he said he wanted to play wide open for the Vipers, he said he was happy and ready to go wherever they needed him.
“Obviously, my preference would be to open for any team, so if it is T20 matches or 50-over games then you know also it depends on the team,” he said.
“In Pakistan we have three best players in the world — Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub, so sometimes I am fortunate enough to make it into the team even though I could not make it in the team as an opener.
‘If the team trusts me and they want me to bat at number four or five, yeah that’s totally ok, because for me first is always the team and I play where they want me to play but I always like to open.
Preparing for DP World ILT20, Fakhar said that he was loving playing against all the Vipers players, but one in particular he couldn’t wait to be on the field with.
“I don’t think he knows about it but I am super excited to play alongside Sherfane Rutherford as he is one of the best cricketers in the T20 and I love to see him bowl,” he said.
“I am very happy to be on this team, and to share the net with him. He’s the best player in the game, so I’m so excited to play with that guy.”
And how much more good it looks for the team in the tournament coming up, Fakhar said he had high confidence in the team to do well.
You see the team, it’s a pretty evenly balanced team,” he said. “We have some young players and old players. We have some good players and we have some power in the bowling and batting department.
“And so, if we can do that as a team – and you know you need luck in cricket too – hopefully if luck goes our way you get us into the finals.
On Day Two of the 2025 DP World ILT20, the Desert Vipers play against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 2pm.
ILT20 Season 3 squads
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
New signees: Gudakesh Motie, Ibrar Ahmad, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Phil Salt (Wildcard), Roston Chase, Shahid Iqbal Bhutta, Sufiyan Muqeem, Terrance Hinds and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.
Retention: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Gous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper and Sunil Narine.
Desert Vipers
New signees: Dan Lawrence (Wildcard), David Payne, Dhruv Parashar, Fakhar Zaman, Kushal Malla (replacement for injured Bas de Leede), Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Max Holden and Sam Curran (played for Vipers in Season 2 as a wildcard).
Retentions: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Luke Wood, Michael Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Dubai Capitals
New signees: Adam Rossington (Wildcard), Aryaman Varma (signed as replacement player for Jake Fraser McGurk), Ben Dunk, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh (signed as replacement player), Farhan Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherley, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Sharafuddin Ashraf (signed as replacement player), Shai Hope, Shahrukh Ahmed and Zeeshan Naseer.
Retentions: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Oliver Stone.
Gulf Giants
New signees: Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall (played for Giants in Season 2 as a wildcard player), Dushan Hemantha (signed as a replacement player), Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Ollie Robinson (wicketkeeper-batter), Tim David, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills, Muhammad Saghir Khan, Muhammad Uzair Khan and Wahidullah Zadran.
Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zuhaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, and Shimron Hetmyer
MI Emirates
New signees: Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Alzarri Joseph, Aryan Lakra, Ben Charlesworth, Fareed Ahmad, Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Thomas Draca, and Zahoor Khan.
Retentions: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige and Waqar Salamkheil.
Sharjah Warriorz
New signees: Tim Southee (captain), Adam Milne, Adil Rashid (played for Warriorz in Season 2 as a Wildcard pick), Ashton Agar, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Daniel Sams, Ethan D’ Souza, Harmeet Singh, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Matthew Wade, Rohan Mustafa, Tim Seifert, Traveen Mathew and Virandeep Singh.
Retentions: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.