"VAN" (Sports Desk - 23.01.2026) :: Desert Vipers’ long-awaited maiden title in the DP World ILT20 was the culmination of four seasons of consistency and clarity according to the team’s Head Analyst Freddie Wilde.
Wilde, the Head Analyst who has also worked in a similar role with the England men’s white-ball team, the Oval Invincibles and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, said, “It was a successful season. But I think it was probably a fair reward and well-deserved not only for this season, but for the four seasons across the history of the DP World ILT20, where the Vipers have been one of the best teams year on year."
Wilde pointed to organisational stability as one of the defining factors that drives the Vipers.
“There are a number of factors, but the biggest one for me is stability, particularly among the backroom staff. The coaches, the science and medicine team, and the people behind the scenes have been consistent, which creates clarity every season about how the Vipers want to play their cricket. That clarity comes from the top, from the CEO [Phil Oliver], the Director of Cricket [Tom Moody] and the Head Coach [James Foster]. That trio has been consistent across all four seasons, and I think that breeds familiarity and confidence for players coming into the setup.”
He added that the Vipers’ approach stands out for its patience and trust in defined roles.
“Players come into clearly defined roles, and we like to give them time in those roles rather than chopping and changing. In franchise cricket, you often see very reactive decisions, but we try to back players to deliver. That stability has been central to what we’ve built.”
On the Vipers’ brand of cricket, Wilde said the side has remained committed to a balanced, bowling-led approach that continues to hold value in DP World ILT20 conditions.
“I’d describe our brand of cricket as fairly old school, with a strong emphasis on a quality bowling attack. While T20 cricket has evolved and scores have gone up in some leagues, the ILT20 has remained a competition where that balance still works. Solid starts, acceleration in the second half, getting to par or just beyond, and then defending it with a strong bowling group.”
Associated with the Vipers since the inaugural season, Wilde underlined the growing influence of UAE and associate players, calling it one of the most significant evolutions of the DP World ILT20 since its inception.
“The biggest change across seasons has been the growing strength and prominence of UAE players. For us this year, Khuzaima Tanveer was outstanding, arguably the standout player in the competition regardless of category."
On Khuzaima’s breakthrough season that saw 17 wickets as the third highest wicket-taker, Wilde added, “He was swinging the ball a long way, especially with the new ball, and combined that with accuracy. He exploited conditions brilliantly and added value as a batter down the order. He’s a genuine all-round cricketer who would get into DP World ILT20 sides regardless of the squad composition rules.”
Furthermore, the Vipers’ skipper Sam Curran secured the Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) for a second consecutive year with 397 runs and seven wickets, while Max Holden was third-highest run-getter with 419 runs and three half-centuries. David Payne also tied Khuzaima with 17 wickets to dominate the bowling charts. Wilde stressed that the title-winning campaign was built on collective effort.
“Having standout performers gives you stability, but what elevates consistency into excellence is getting contributions from everyone. This season, almost every regular player made a defining contribution at some point. When you put that together, it’s no surprise that we ended up as champions.”
Wilde believes the DP World ILT20’s unique international and associate-player ecosystem will continue to strengthen cricket across the region.
“This year, the groundbreaking link-up with GCC players from countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia has been a really important step. It might not happen immediately for them, and it may take a little longer compared to others, but exposure to elite-level cricket can only be a good thing.
Being around high-quality international players, coaches and environments will lift standards, and over time, I expect we’ll see a similar impact to what we’ve already seen with UAE players.”
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