Dubai: Desert Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson says the pressure is off UAE fast bowler Khuzaima bin Tanveer ahead of Season 4 of the DP World ILT20.
Khuzaima was one of the breakout stars of Season 3, taking four wickets on debut against the Sharjah Warriorz and being entrusted with the last over of the final against the Dubai Capitals.
He was an unknown quantity last season but now, after being retained by the Vipers ahead of the first-ever DP World ILT20 player auction, he is a player who comes into Season 4 with a high reputation.
That could bring with it expectation, but Ferguson said: “From our point of view there is no pressure.
Khuzaima is an exceptional bowler regardless of the level of cricket he is playing in and his ceiling is so high.
“He has got such great abilities and his mindset around fast bowling is fantastic too.
He is one of those players that is keen to learn and he just soaks it all in. Not only does he listen to what the leaders say around him but he also implements it pretty quickly.
Last year I think he developed quickly through the tournament and I have been following his progress since and he has been well these season too
“I am excited to see what he brings this year. Nothing needs to change from his point of view. He has got great skills, he is super accurate and he bowls quick — that is a pretty good mixture.
Last season Khuzaima was fantastic coming into the group. He is a star for the area but also a star for the Desert Vipers and he has been developing very nicely over the past year so I will be interested to see how he goes this season.
One more year to go
Khuzaima still has a year to go before he qualifies to play for the UAE but, in the meantime, he will have the chance to work alongside not only captain Ferguson once more but also Pakistan pace ace Naseem Shah.
That trio certainly offers plenty of food for thought for opposition batters and Ferguson said he was looking forward to working with Naseem and swapping tips and hints among the fast bowling cartel.