Hassan Nawaz joins Desert Vipers for DP World ILT20 Season 5

The Desert Vipers today confirmed the recruitment of Pakistan batter Hassan Nawaz for the upcoming Season 5 of the DP World ILT20, replacing England’s Aneurin Donald. 

Hassan returns to the Vipers after his debut season with the franchise in the title-winning campaign last term following Aneurin’s withdrawal from the tournament after his selection for England’s upcoming Twenty20 International (T20I) series in Australia. 

Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver said: “While we are disappointed to be losing a player of Aneurin’s ability, we are delighted for him and offer our congratulations on his selection in the England T20I series in Australia. It is due reward for his outstanding form, and it is a nod to our talent identification process, as we set out to secure him at the recent auction. 

“The fact we have been able to secure the services of Hassan as his replacement is fantastic from our perspective. 

“He was a key member of the Vipers squad in our successful Season 4 and so he will slot in very easily to our set-up. And, on top of that, he has been in terrific form this year, scoring runs for the Quetta franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and then being a vital component of the Antigua and Barbuda franchise’s run to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title. 

 “We look forward to welcoming Hassan back to the Vipers for Season 5 and hope he will play his part as we look to go back-to-back in the upcoming tournament.” 

Hassan’s form certainly has been impressive since the Vipers’ DP World ILT20 trophy success at the start of the year. 

In the PSL the powerful right-hander scored 291 runs at a strike rate of 134.1, while in the CPL he was the joint-highest run-scorer for the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (alongside Evin Lewis) with 220 runs, striking at 127.16 runs per hundred balls. 

Hassan brings fielding brilliance to the equation, with his 12 catches in 13 matches in the latest edition of the DP World ILT20, many of them stunning efforts in the outfield, helping to ensure the Vipers’ out-fielding was outstanding during the tournament. 

He also gives the Vipers flexibility as he has batted in five different positions for Pakistan in T20Is, from opener down to number six. Hassan was used in the finisher role by the Vipers in Season 4, but recently he made a brilliant 96 from 51 balls at number four against India in the Asian Games in Japan. 

 The Vipers begin the defence of their title on the opening day of Season 5, playing MI Emirates at the Dubai International Stadium in a repeat of the Season 4 final. 

The upcoming edition of the DP World ILT20 runs from Saturday 21 November to Sunday 20 December. 

Here is what the Desert Vipers squad looks like for season five of the DP World ILT20:

Auction recruits: Nangeyalia Kharote (AFG), Saleem Safi (AFG), Abdullah Ahmadzai (AFG), Hassan Nawaz (PAK, replacement for Aneurin Donald), David Payne (ENG), Joe Clarke (ENG), Harry Tector (IRE), Bilal Tahir (KUW), Babar Azam (PAK), Naseem Shah (PAK), Fakhar Zaman (PAK), Shadab Khan (PAK), Ishtiaq Ahmed (KSA), Khuzaima Bin Tanveer (UAE), Vriitya Aravind (UAE), Nilansh Keswani (UAE), Sanjay Pahal (UAE), Wali Muhammad (UAE).

Direct signings: Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG), Dan Lawrence (ENG), Andries Gous (USA), Shimron Hetmyer (WI).