Pakistani batter Hasan Nawaz is back with Desert Vipers, the defending champions, for the fifth season of the International League T20 (ILT20). He is taking over from England’s Aneurin Donald in the squad.
The 24-year-old was part of the franchise’s title-winning side last season. The tournament is set to run from November 21 to December 20.
Donald’s unavailability opens the door for Nawaz
Donald was signed during the recent ILT20 auction but became unavailable after being picked for England’s T20I series against Australia in November and December. Nawaz has been drafted in to fill his place.
Desert Vipers chief executive Phil Oliver welcomed Nawaz back and congratulated Donald on his international selection. The move adds to the Vipers’ group of Pakistani players, which already includes Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah.
Nawaz’s recent performances across T20 leagues
Nawaz was in the Vipers squad that won the ILT20 Season 4 title earlier this year, but he struggled to make a major impact with the bat. The right-handed batter scored 124 runs at an average of 15.50 and a strike rate of 126.53.
His fielding was valuable, however, as he took 12 catches in 13 matches during that campaign. Since then, he has shown better batting returns elsewhere. In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he scored 291 runs at an average of 32.33 and a strike rate of 134.10, showing greater consistency.
He later played for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), accumulating 220 runs. He was the joint-leading run-scorer for the Falcons alongside Evin Lewis, as the franchise went on to win the CPL title.
