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With season four just two weeks away, we’ve got a bumper episode for you. We hear from Khuzaima bin Tanveer, the UAE fast bowler who made such a sensational start to life with the Vipers in the previous edition of the tournament. And we also catch up with Phil Oliver, the Desert Vipers CEO, who talks us through off-field preparations for the start of the action.

Very few people outside of UAE cricketing circles had heard of Khuzaima prior to season three, but he showcased his ability very clearly with four for 22 on debut against the Sharjah Warriorz and was a fixture in the team after that performance.

Khuzaima talks us through his memories of that first performance as well as his impressions of his first season in a T20 franchise tournament and he tells us what he’s been up to since then, ahead of season four.

Phil Oliver talks to us about new commercial partners, the return of several other partners from the previous editions of the tournament and also the outreach programmes the Vipers have been running to ensure the footprint of the franchise remains very much in place across the whole year rather than just during the DP World ILT20.

Phil speaks, too, about Tom Moody’s new role with Lucknow Super Giants and what that means for the Vipers, he addresses the balance between the team’s desire to promote sustainability while, at the same time, ensure the focus remains with on-field excellence and how the change of timing for this season’s tournament is impacting what goes on behind the scenes.

Tickets are now on sale for all Vipers matches for the new season, starting with the opening match of the tournament, a repeat of February’s final, with the side facing the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on the 2nd of December.

You can buy them through the league’s official ticketing platform, Virgin Megastore by visiting www.tickets.ilt20.ae.

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This time we speak with English batter Max Holden, one of the breakout stars of the DP World ILT20 in season three.

Max had to be patient at the start of his first season with the Vipers and wasn’t initially able to break into the line-up in the first half of the last campaign.

But rather than sulk, he used his time to work on his game with batting coach Neil McKenzie and so when he did get his chance, he was ready to take it with both hands.

His outstanding batting at the backend of the tournament helped power the Vipers to the final and he was equally good in that match too, making an excellent half-century that so nearly contributed to a first title for the franchise.

Max tells us all about his first experience with the Vipers as he reflects on that near miss, and also speaks of his and the team’s hunger to go one better in season four.

He also talks with us about how the DP World ILT20 helped set him up for his best-ever season in English county cricket as he topped 1000 first-class runs for the first time – with form like that helping him break into the England Lions set-up for matches against India A.

Of course, Max’s success in season three means he’ll come into the new edition of the tournament as a player who’ll be very much more of a known quantity to opposition bowlers, and he explains to us how he’s dealing with that, as well as giving us an insight into his preparations for the new season.

Don't forget that tickets are now on sale for all Vipers matches in season four and you can purchase them through the league’s official ticketing platform, Virgin Megastore by visiting www.tickets.ilt20.ae.

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This time we hear from Tom Bruce, the New Zealand-born batter who’s now qualified to play for the country of his father’s birth, Scotland.

Like Vriitya Aravind, the subject of our previous show, he’s a Vipers new boy and so, coming up, you’ll get the chance to hear all about a player who is sure to be a terrific addition to the franchise’s roster of top talent.

Tom was picked up in the auction by the Vipers as one of the team’s Associate players, alongside the previously signed USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, and that followed on his debut for Scotland in August, having qualified for them after more than four years had elapsed since his previous action for New Zealand.

Tom explains that process to us in the podcast as well as how he comes to qualify for Scotland in the first place.

He also talks to us about what sort of player he is, gives us some details about the experience he has within the game, and he discusses an incredible batting feat that he produced this year that has placed him in the top rank of players in the history of New Zealand domestic cricket.

Tickets are now on sale for all Vipers matches in season four of the tournament and you can purchase them through the league’s official ticketing platform, Virgin Megastore by visiting www.tickets.ilt20.ae.

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Coming up we hear from one of the Vipers’ new boys, UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind.

Vriitya was the first player to be picked up at the recent auction and we hear all about his reaction to that, plus plenty more.

Vriitya is no stranger to the DP World ILT20, having been on the books of two franchises already, spending time at both MI Emirates and the Dubai Capitals.

For a 23 year-old, he’s also extremely experienced, having played more than 100 internationals for his country, including captaining the team in two One-Day Internationals at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in 2023.

He’s a versatile player too, having batted in seven different positions for his country and he kept wicket for the UAE in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.

Coming up Vriitya tells us all about those experiences, as well as providing us with some background on his life and cricketing career, plus, of course, his aspirations for both the DP World ILT20 and, further ahead, next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, which the UAE have qualified for.

Tickets are now on sale for all Vipers matches in season four of the tournament and you can purchase them through the league’s official ticketing platform, Virgin Megastore by visiting www.tickets.ilt20.ae.

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This time it’s a step away from the elite level to something the Vipers are doing at community level.

The Vipers have set up their own Talent Pathway Programme for boys and girls aged 13 to 19 within the UAE powered by Balqis Capital, and in this episode we hear from coaches and players at one of the first sessions of the new initiative.

It’s all part of the Vipers’ commitment to be a 12-months-a-year team within the UAE and not simply a fly in franchise that pops up for the DP World ILT20 at tournament time and then departs as soon as the last ball is bowled.

We’ve seen this with the work done in the ongoing schools programme, as well as with an increasing number of local businesses and the Talent Pathway Programme is another part of that strategy.

Tickets have now gone on sale for the tournament including all Vipers matches and you can purchase them through the league’s official ticketing platform, Virgin Megastore by visiting www.tickets.ilt20.ae.

The Vipers have reached the final twice in the three previous editions, also playing in the ultimate match of the first season, in 2023, as well as in February against the Capitals, and, you’ve guessed it, in season four the aim is, this time, to secure the silverware.

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It’s another busy episode for you.

We hear from Vipers new signing Andries Gous, the USA wicketkeeper-batter who has been drafted in after previously impressing with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

Andries talks us through his journey to this point in his career, his ambitions for this season’s DP World ILT20, what the future holds for him and USA Cricket – and that, in itself, is exciting - and, most importantly of all, how to pronounce his name correctly!

And after we’ve heard from Andries, we hear from Matt Toogood, the CEO of RAW Coffee Company, a Dubai-based firm that has become the latest commercial partner of the Vipers ahead of season four of the DP World ILT20.

Matt explains why RAW Coffee has linked up with the Vipers and the excitement within the company about the tie-up and the season ahead.

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This time we’ve got a bumper episode for you.

We hear from Tom Moody, the Desert Vipers Director of Cricket, about the franchise’s new players, acquired at the DP World ILT20’s first-ever player auction, which took place in Dubai on Wednesday October the 1st.

Tom runs the rule over the 12 players the Vipers picked up at that auction and, as ever with Tom, his opinions are always worth your time.

After that, we hear from Shimron Hetmyer, the Guyana and West Indies batter, who has switched from the Gulf Giants to the Vipers for season four.

Shimron chats about linking up with a team that he’s been playing against for the past three seasons, talks where he sees himself batting, his hairstyle, shirt number and the Vipers’ chances in the next edition of the tournament and it’s a great listen.

The Vipers will play the tournament’s opening match this term, against the Dubai Capitals in a repeat of last season’s final.

That match will be played at the Dubai International Stadium on the 2nd of December, the first of 10 league matches the Vipers will take part in ahead of the play-offs.

As soon as tickets go on sale then we’ll let you know here on Vipers Voices.

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On this episode, we get immediate reaction from Desert Vipers CEO Phil Oliver to the inaugural DP World ILT20 auction, that took place in Dubai on Wednesday 1 October.

The auction saw the Vipers complete their roster by signing 12 players, and in our chat with Phil he explains the thinking behind the picks made by the franchise.

Phil also discusses what went into a successful auction and chats about the players the Vipers missed out on.

As ever, it's well worth your time.

A reminder that the Vipers will play the first match of season four of the DP World ILT20 in a repeat of the previous season's final, against the Dubai Capitals, on 2 December at the Dubai International Stadium. Once ticket details are released, we'll pass on those details to you.

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