NEW DELHI: Around this time of the year in 2024, Mohammad Amir was sitting on the sidelines, looking quite dispirited under the Ring of Fire at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The perplexed demeanour had its reasons. In an ILT20 game against MI Emirates, despite Amir delivering match-defining figures of 3/26, the Desert Vipers’ ship was heading towards a giant iceberg.
Vipers, 8 wickets down, needed three off the last delivery. Facing MI’s pace spearhead Trent Boult was Shaheen Afridi, Amir’s national team compatriot and Vipers teammate. The magnitude of the task at hand was similar to saving the Titanic. Rolling the wheel with utmost agility was the need of the hour.
What followed was nothing short of a miracle.
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Anticipating a full delivery, Shaheen moved early, made room, and flapped his bat as hard as he could. The ball took a thick outside edge and raced past the square third man. The sweeper cover fielder had a lot of ground to cover, giving Shaheen and Luke Wood enough time to go for a second. How about a third?
Shaheen Afridi’s iconic celebration (Photo by CREIMAS / ILT20)
Shaheen seemed hesitant, but Wood had already crossed the halfway mark; Shaheen closed his eyes and made a run for his life, slid, stood up, and threw his bat in the air for multiple flips in an act of pure bravado. A throw to the wrong end led to the iceberg being averted and ship saved. Vipers won the game!
“It really felt as if we had lost the match, but the way Shaheen slid and made three runs out of two is something I still remember vividly,” Mohammad Amir told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interaction. “I think that was one of the most memorable moments from last year. We won the match as Shaheen batted till the end. Coming in a crunch moment, he turned a double into a triple for the team, which I feel was incredible.”
‘ILT20 the toughest league in the world’
32-year-old Amir, who has represented teams across Pakistan Super League (PSL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), England’s T20 Blast, The Hundred, and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), believes ILT20 stands above the rest. Why?
“Last year with the Vipers, I really enjoyed a lot; the environment was amazing, to be honest. I play in many leagues around the world, but it’s rare to find an environment where you’re kept so relaxed. Secondly, in my opinion, ILT20 is the toughest league. Here you have 18 international players competing against each other,” Amir explained.
He recalled an unforgettable match from the 2024 calendar against the Dubai Capitals, further elucidating, “Last year, we were playing against the Dubai Capitals, and they were 7 wickets down. They needed 30 runs in three overs, and Rovman Powell and Jason Holder were batting at number 8 and 9. Normally, this doesn’t happen. In most other leagues, if you get the top 5-6 batters out, you usually win the match, but that’s not the case here. That’s why, as a bowler, I feel this is the toughest league in the world.”
Desert Vipers couldn’t make the knockouts of ILT20 last season. Amir is hopeful of a turnaround this time.
“This year, I feel we have ticked every box. If you look at our combination, we have everything. Our top-four batters are solid, then there’s a good mix of allrounders,” he remarked. “We also have one of the best spinners in (Wanindu) Hasaranga and Nathan Sowter. In fast bowling, we’ve got both combinations — right-arm and left-arm. So this time, our performance will definitely be better.”
‘ILT20 giving UAE cricket the much-needed platform’
UAE clinched their maiden ILT20 Gulf Cricket Championship title last month in a nail-biting affair, defeating Kuwait by just two runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
For Mohammad Amir, the ILT20 represents more than just a tournament; it’s a key platform that can take UAE cricket to new heights.
“Normally, as I keep coming and going to Dubai, it feels like a second home. There’s a lot of cricket happening here — T10 and other cricketing events. But this league has the potential to benefit UAE’s local cricketers tremendously,” Amir stated.
“Sharing a dressing room with international players, playing against them, and alongside them — where else in Dubai can you get so much experience? A league like this, or such high-level cricket in the UAE, was very necessary for UAE cricket. You see, ICC has also invested a lot, and the people here are investing too, but until now, there wasn’t a platform as big as ILT20.”
The impact of the league is already evident in the fresh talent emerging within the UAE team. Amir is particularly impressed by the budding players on his squad.
“This year, we have Khuzaima Tanveer, a right-arm fast bowler. He is very, very good. I saw him in the T10 league, and as far as I know, he’s the only bowler right now who consistently bowls at 140+ km/h and does it with great control. I think his future is very bright,” said the former Pakistan pacer. “In our team, we have Tanish Suri, a wicketkeeper-batter, who is also very good. Muhammad Jawad Ullah, a left-arm pacer from the UAE, is someone I really like. Aayan Afzal Khan, a left-arm spinner, also has the potential for a bright future.”
‘A smart bowler is the one who bowls according to the conditions’
Very few would forget the havoc a much younger Amir caused in the ICC Champions Trophy final against India. “A smart bowler is the one who adapts and bowls according to the conditions,” Mohammad Amir shared his mantra.
“Whatever knowledge players want to gain from me, I share it with them — whether it’s about swing or understanding the conditions. There’s one piece of advice I always give: until you read the pitch and understand what it’s demanding from you, you’ll lack clarity, and you’ll always be a step behind in the game. The quicker you read the pitch and the game, the easier it becomes to execute your plans effectively.”
While acknowledging that playing in ILT20 could help Pakistani cricketers elevate their games, Amir remains doubtful about their chances of playing in the league.
“If I speak honestly, it seems like it’s mostly the Vipers who pick Pakistani players. I don’t know the reason, but other teams rarely pick them. Imad might have played one season for the (Abu Dhabi) Knight Riders, but apart from that, it’s mainly the Vipers where all of us Pakistanis play. Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman this year, and last year, I played alongside Shadab and Shaheen,” opined Amir with a stroke of disappointment peeping through his lips.
“I feel that the more Pakistani cricketers who participate, the more beneficial it will be for their cricket. Since, as a bowler, I consider ILT20 the toughest league, having more Pakistani players here will only enhance their skills and overall cricketing experience.”
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