Hasan Nawaz Returns to Desert Vipers for ILT20 Season 5

Pakistan batter Hasan Nawaz has rejoined the Desert Vipers for the fifth ILT20 season, replacing Aneurin Donald.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 17, 2026 · 2:19 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

Hasan Nawaz rejoined Desert Vipers for the fifth season of the ILT20.

He replaces England's Aneurin Donald, who is playing in a T20I series against Australia.

Nawaz scored 291 runs in the Pakistan Super League and 220 runs in the Caribbean Premier League this year.

Desert Vipers will begin their title defense against MI Emirates on November 21 at Dubai International Stadium.

The ILT20 fifth edition runs from November 21 to December 20.

Pakistan batter Hasan Nawaz has rejoined Desert Vipers for the fifth season of the International League T20, known as ILT20, taking the place of England player Aneurin Donald. Donald must skip the competition because of international duties.

Nawaz comes back to the franchise following his contribution to their Season 4 championship victory earlier this year. He teams up with other Pakistani cricketers Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, and Naseem Shah within the roster.

Donald, acquired during the latest auction, earned a spot in England's T20I squad for their series against Australia set for November and December.

Phil Oliver, the CEO of Desert Vipers, congratulated Donald regarding his national team call-up while greeting Nawaz on his return. He stated his belief that the Pakistani batsman will integrate smoothly following his key contribution to the previous championship run.

During this year, Nawaz produced strong numbers in franchise cricket by making 291 runs during the Pakistan Super League at a strike rate of 134.1. Afterward, he added 220 runs for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the Caribbean Premier League, ending up as the squad's joint-top run-scorer alongside Evin Lewis while the Falcons claimed the title.

During the past ILT20 tournament, the right-handed batsman also helped defensively by securing 12 catches across 13 fixtures.

In T20 internationals, Nawaz has batted in five distinct positions for Pakistan, ranging from the opening spot down to number six. Even though the Vipers deployed him primarily as a finisher in the prior campaign, he demonstrated his capacity to bat higher up, highlighting a 96-run innings from 51 deliveries facing India at number four during the Asian Games held in Japan.

Desert Vipers are scheduled to start their championship defense against MI Emirates at Dubai International Stadium on November 21. Both sides played each other in the previous season championship match, which went to the Vipers.

The fifth installment of the ILT20 takes place from November 21 through December 20.

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