The Desert Vipers on Wednesday signed Afghanistan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad for season four of the ILT20.The 20-year-old will step in for Wanindu Hasaranga, as the Sri Lankan all-rounder is expected to have domestic commitments during the tournament.“I am excited for this opportunity and very thankful for the faith shown in me by the team’s coaching and management staff, especially Tom Moody and James Foster,” said Noor.“The Vipers have a fantastic squad, full of high-quality players in every department, and I cannot wait to get to Dubai and start the tournament.”Earlier this year in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Noor claimed 24 wickets for Chennai Super Kings, making him the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, just one behind Gujarat Titans’ Prasidh Krishna.Noor was also named Player of the Tournament in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League, topping the wicket-taking chart with 22 scalps for first-time winners St Lucia Kings.He has been capped by Afghanistan in both white-ball international formats, playing 13 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 22 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for his country.Noor was part of the squads for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in 2024 and the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2025.His T20I economy rate is an exceptional 6.08 runs per over.Tom Moody, the Desert Vipers Director of Cricket, said: “We are thrilled to have secured the services of Noor Ahmad, who is clearly one of the leading spin bowlers in world cricket at the moment.
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Do you think Noor Ahmad will be a valuable addition to the Desert Vipers this season?
“We are obviously sad to miss Wanindu Hasaranga, as he has been a Viper since day one. He is an outstanding all-round cricketer, and we know what the Vipers mean to him.“But Noor’s wealth of experience around the globe in franchise cricket will certainly be something we benefit from.“Also, his familiarity with the UAE and the DP World ILT20 venues puts him in a strong position and will add significant value to the franchise.“Noor joins two other Afghanistan cricketers we secured in the recent auction – Qais Ahmad and Faridoon Dawoodzai – so we are thrilled to complete a hat-trick of Afghanistan players representing us in season four of the ILT20.”
