NEW DELHI: Desert Vipers celebrated a commanding eight-wicket victory over the Sharjah Warriorz at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday, bolstered by standout performances from both seasoned internationals and emerging local talent.
Among the heroes was UAE debutant Khuzaima Tanveer, whose remarkable spell of 4/22 earned him accolades and put him in the spotlight.
Reflecting on the young pacer’s stunning debut, Vipers star Sam Curran was full of praise: “Special day when you see a local UAE debutant coming and get 4 for 20 on debut. I think (it is) a perfect dream start (for him). And what an exciting, exciting future he’s got. He’s obviously very young, has got really good pace and such skill. So it was great to see. The whole point of this competition is to keep expanding the UAE players and giving them that exposure.”
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The Vipers’ triumph began with their bowlers delivering a disciplined performance. David Payne set the tone early, removing Johnson Charles and Avishka Fernando inside the powerplay.
Tanveer then capitalised on the momentum, dismantling the middle and lower order with surgical precision, claiming the scalps of Tim Seifert, Rohan Mustafa, Luke Wood, and Tim Southee.
His exceptional performance not only contained the Warriorz to 151/8 but also earned him admiration from teammates and fans alike.
In reply, the Vipers’ chase was a spectacle. Alex Hales (83 not out off 42) and Sam Curran (52 not out off 33) forged a dazzling 128-run partnership.
Hales hit a blistering half-century, punishing Muhammad Jawadullah with three consecutive sixes, while Curran’s aggression closed the match in style, with the pair wrapping up the chase in just 14.5 overs.
