DUBAI: All-rounder Sam Curran, the player of the tournament in England’s ICC T20 World Cup success in Australia in 2022, will return to the Desert Vipers’ squad for the upcoming season three of the DP World ILT20.

Curran joined the Vipers for two matches at the end of last season. The signing signals the desire of the team to repeat the form showed in the first edition of the DP World ILT20 when they finished second.

The Desert Vipers’ Director of Cricket Tom Moody said Curran’s presence for a longer period would benefit the entire tournament.

“We are obviously the recipients of a high-quality player, and it is great that he feels the Desert Vipers is a home for him where he can apply his trade and hopefully help us achieve what we are looking to achieve as a franchise,” said Moody.

“One of the positive things for the Desert Vipers and the tournament itself is that Sam has decided to come to this league against the other options that are out there.

“I think that says a lot about how the competition is held in players’ eyes and the growth of the tournament moving forward.”

Curran, 26, is the third-highest wicket-taker for England in Twenty20 Internationals over the past two years.

He made his international debut in a Test match against Pakistan in 2018 and has already amassed 1,574 runs and 134 wickets for his country across formats.

Curran has also made a name for himself plying his trade in shortform tournaments across the world including India and South Africa.

His most recent outing in the Indian Premier League saw him taking over captaincy duties for the Punjab Kings after skipper Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out due to injury.

Curran ended that tournament as the franchise’s fourth-highest scorer, his 270 runs including two half-centuries and coming at a strike-rate of 123 runs per 100 balls. He also ended the contest as the third-highest wicket-taker with 16 in 13 matches.

Moody said that while no decision had yet been taken on who would assume the captaincy following the departure of Colin Munro, he expects Curran to play a key part in the Desert Vipers’ think tank for the upcoming season.

“With regards to his captaincy experience and what he has done in the IPL with the Punjab Kings and what he has done elsewhere, he will play an important leadership role within the group,” said Moody.

“He has got a huge amount of experience in this format of the game and can offer a lot. The thing that he just brings naturally is that he is an instinctive leader. So we will all lean on that experience, and he is willing to be an important voice as the tournament unfolds.”

The signing of an all-rounder may raise some eyebrows.

This is given the continuation of the impact-substitute rule for a second season in the DP World ILT20, with the expectation that sides will pack their lineups with specialist batters and bowlers at the expense of players who offer both skills.

The rule allows teams to replace a player at any point during a match, with the trend toward a bowler replacing a batter or vice versa once the incumbent’s primary role in the side has been carried out.

Moody said he knows Curran’s strengths well having worked with the lefthander at the Oval Invincibles, the team that has won back-to-back titles in England’s short-format tournament, The Hundred.

And the man who was also an ICC Cricket World Cup winner with Australia in 1999, said he was certain Curran would play an influential role in the upcoming campaign.

“I have had a lot to do with Sam over the past few years with the Oval Invincibles, so having that personal connection goes a long way in knowing exactly what he can deliver both on and off the field,” said Moody.

“And while people probably ask why an all-rounder when there is the impact-sub rule, well, Sam Curran is one of those unique all-rounders that plays a complete all-round game.

“And what I mean by that is that he can take the new ball, he can bowl effectively in the middle overs and he is well-versed when it comes to bowling at the death which is such a critical component when it comes to any team.”

The schedule for season three of the DP World ILT20 is expected to be announced soon.

And ahead of that announcement all teams, not just the Desert Vipers, are finalizing their final UAE player selections through the ongoing DP World ILT20 Development tournament in Dubai.

ABU DHABI: The UAE Open Muay Thai Championship for men and women will be held at Festival Arena in Dubai from Oct. 25 to 27, the organizers have announced.

The championship, organized by the UAE Muay Thai and Kickboxing Federation, is open to local and international athletes aged 16 to 40.

The contest will feature 12 weight divisions for the 16 to 17 age group, 10 for the under-23 category, and 13 for seniors.

Ali Khouri, executive director and board member of the federation, highlighted the importance of the event.

“It underscores our continuous efforts to grow the sport and create meaningful opportunities for athletes to gain valuable experience.

“This championship paves the way for a generation of athletes to embrace professionalism and responsibility.

“Not only will it facilitate talent discovery, but it will also foster the growth of Muay Thai, aligning with the federation’s long-term development plans.”

He added: “Under the leadership of His Excellency Abdullah Saeed Al-Neyadi, we are focused on developing strategies and setting goals that contribute to the excellence of Muay Thai in the UAE and its recognition on major international platforms.”

Registration is open until Oct. 20 through the federation’s channels.