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We’re back ahead of season four, which gets underway on December the 2nd 2025, an earlier start than the three previous editions, which all took place in January and February.

And in this episode that marks the start of the build-up to the new season, we speak with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody, a regular on the podcast.

Tom spoke after confirmation that the Vipers have retained seven players from the season three squad as the core to do battle for season four.

Those seven are captain Lockie Ferguson, vice-captain Sam Curran, who was player of the tournament in 2025, Max Holden and Khuzaima bin Tanveer, two break-out stars of the latest edition, Wanindu Hasaranga – who has been a Desert Viper since day one, Dan Lawrence and David Payne.

Additionally, the franchise has signed USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, a player who previously played against the Vipers in season two, for the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, when he blitzed the bowling to provide an indicator of what he can do.

We talked with Tom about all these players and also some of the players who didn’t make the cut, but that wasn’t all.

We also discussed whether or not the Vipers will again mine a seam of Pakistan players for this edition, the likelihood of an auction and the selection process for UAE players, what the league’s new tie-up with Kuwait cricket means, what the change in timing for the tournament mean and plenty more.

It’s an engaging conversation with Tom, well worth your while, as ever.

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This is the final episode for season three and in it we speak with Vipers Director of Cricket Tom Moody as part of our wrap-up of the campaign. It’s part two of that wrap, following on from our chat with Chief Executive Officer Phil Oliver.

Just like our conversation with Phil, there was a lot to unpack with Tom and we covered a significant range of topics on the playing side.

Among those topics was the approach to recruitment for the season with the emphasis on bringing in players who were available for the majority of the season and whether that worked.

We spoke about three of the higher profile recruits – Sam Curran, captain Lockie Ferguson and Fakhar Zaman – as well as two stars of the show who arrived with very little fanfare – Max Holden and Khuzaima Bin Tanveer.

Tom also discussed the struggles of Azam Khan and latterly Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and whether the loss of Fakhar and Wanindu Hasaranga to international duty cost the side the title.

The two-time ICC Cricket World Cup winner also got out his crystal ball and gave us his opinion on some key aspects of the league ahead of season four, specifically recruitment, whether or not there should be a draft, the numbers of players to be retained, the future of the impact substitute rule and the numbers of UAE players in each playing eleven.

Tom revealed what learnings the franchise can take forward after coming so close to the ultimate prize in 2025 and he explained what the Vipers needed to do to ensure that, come 2026, the side can lift the title for the first time.

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This episode is part one of a two-part wrap-up of the season. In part two we’ll chat with Director of Cricket Tom Moody, but this time we catch up with Vipers CEO Phil Oliver to paint the big picture for us on where the franchise is at after both an agonising loss in the 2025 final to the Dubai Capitals and also after three seasons of existence.

Topics Phil spoke about included the possibility of moving to three UAE players in any starting eleven for season four as opposed to the current mark of two, as well as the possibilities of expanding the league and even setting up a women’s tournament to go with the men.

Those topics, of course, are all about the future, but Phil also spoke about the here and now – the Vipers’ sustainability strategy and the fight for commercial dollars in a congested sponsorship market up against other franchises who, unlike the Vipers, have tentacles in other T20 leagues around the world.

Phil also covered future windows for the tournament, the possibility of a draft for the next season, whether the Vipers would continue to mine Pakistan for talent as a point of difference from the other teams and whether the Vipers’ owners, Lancer Capital are patient in the face of two near-misses in three seasons.

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In this episode we reflect on heartbreak for the Vipers as the side has lost the final of the DP World ILT20 to the Dubai Capitals.

In a thrilling match, the Vipers posted 189 for five after being put into bat and then reduced the Capitals to 31 for three in reply.

But then Rovman Powell with 63, Shai Hope with 43 wrested back control before dasun Shanaka, who made 21 from 10 balls and Sikandar Raza, with an unbeaten 34 from 12 deliveries applied the coup de gras, getting the Capitals home with four balls and four wickets to spare.

It really was a game of fine margins with so many twists and turns but sadly, for the second time in three years, the Vipers finished on the wrong end of the final result.

Coming up we hear from captain Sam Curran, who was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, star batter Max Holden, who made an outstanding 76 in the final, and Head Coach James Foster, with all three of them reflecting on a night of bitter disappointment of the franchise.

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In this episode we preview the final of the tournament in the company of captain Lockie Ferguson with the Vipers preparing to face the Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night, the 9th of February.

Sadly, the hamstring injury Lockie picked up in Qualifier 1 on March the 5th means he won’t be able to play in the big game but he took time to chat with us en route to the team’s pre-final media commitments and offered us his thoughts on the Vipers progress to the final and where he thinks that final will be won and lost.

If you want tickets for the match then get along to the link at the bottom of the podcast description for this episode or visit the DP World ILT20’s website.

The Vipers are within touching distance of lifting the title for the first time – and everyone is hoping that, after finishing as runners-up in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023, finally this is the year for the side to get their hands on the silverware.

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In this episode we can reflect upon a fantastic win for the team – a seven-wicket success against the Sharjah Warriorz in Qualifier 2 that means the Vipers have booked a place in the final of the tournament, against the Dubai Capitals.

Coming up we hear from Mohammad Amir, one of the stars with the ball against the Warriorz, and also Max Holden, who again produced an excellent innings under pressure. There’s also the views of Alex Hales, who was named player of the match for the way he got the Vipers chase off to an explosive start.

So, the Vipers are into the final for the second time in three editions of the tournament and it’s expected that the match against the Capitals on Sunday the 9th of February will be a sell-out.

If you want tickets for the match then get along to the link at the bottom of the podcast description for this episode or visit the DP World ILT20’s website.

The Vipers are just one win away from lifting the title for the first time so why not be a part of the action and watch the match in person!

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This is an episode with a difference. The day after the team’s last-ball defeat to the Dubai Capitals in the Qualifier, two of the coaches, bowling coach Carl Crowe and fielding coach Simon Helmot, meet up with eight players involved with the UAE women’s team for a session at the JA Resort’s dedicated cricket facility in Jebel Ali.

The idea behind the session was three-fold: following on from the work the Vipers are doing in schools across Dubai, this was another opportunity for the franchise to help develop UAE cricket beyond simply playing in the DP World ILT20; it was a chance for the women to interact with overseas coaches they would not otherwise have the chance to work with; and it gave the Vipers coaches sight of the type of talent that is coming through the system in the UAE.

Coming up we hear from both Carl and Simon on their experience of the session on Thursday morning, and we also hear from Esha Oza, the UAE women’s captain, a player who was recently named the ICC women’s Associate Player of the Year, and one of the players who took part in the coaching clinic.

The session was certainly an opportunity for Simon and Carl to clear their heads after that loss to the Capitals ahead of a winner-takes-all match in Sharjah on Friday night against either MI Emirates or Sharjah Warriorz, with a place in Sunday’s final against the Capitals up for grabs.

And if you want to watch that match in Sharjah or any others that remain in the third edition of the DP World ILT20 then you can purchase tickets via the tournament website or at the link below the description for this podcast.

It’s a do-or-die game for the Vipers in Sharjah on Friday so whatever happens it promises to be must-watch action!

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This episode comes off the back of a heartbreaking loss to the Dubai Capitals in the Qualifier with the Capitals winning by five wickets off the very last ball to secure a spot in Sunday’s final.

For the Vipers it means that in order to join them they have to do it the hard way, playing against the winners of the eliminator between MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz that takes place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night.

That next game for the Vipers comes up quickly, on Friday night in Sharjah and the equation is a simple one – two wins will see the team lifting the title for the first time; anything less and it’s a season with nothing to show for the efforts of the players and staff.

Coming up we reflect on the defeat at the Dubai International Stadium in the company of Head Coach James Foster and fast bowler David Payne.

But before we do so, a reminder that there’s still time for you to catch the Vipers in action this season. If you want to watch that eliminator in Sharjah on Friday the 7th of February then you can buy tickets via the link below the description for this podcast or via the DP World ILT20’s own website.

Friday’s game is an all or nothing match for the Vipers so it should be very much worth your trouble to catch it!

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