"Desert Vipers' have batting, bowling firepower; are real contenders for the title": Harbhajan Singh

Dubai [UAE], January 29 (ANI): As the International League T20 (ILT20) season 3 enters the exciting final phase, former Indian cricketer and legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh has been impressed with the level of competition and the exciting performances on display.

Reflecting on the ongoing season, Harbhajan shared his thoughts on the tournament stating, "The tournament is going great, and we've seen some excellent cricket. The good thing about this tournament is that all the teams have shown quality, which means they still have a chance to make a comeback," as quoted from a release by ILT20.

He added, "Across the three venues all pitches are different which makes it more competitive and interesting."

Among the standout performers from the UAE this season, Harbhajan highlighted the exceptional talent of Gulf Giants' Aayan Afzal Khan.

"Aayan Afzal Khan is doing a great job. I have been following him and speaking to him from the first season. I think Aayan could win the Blue Belt award as the most valuable UAE player. As the wickets dry up over the course of the competition, spinners will be key, and it's going to be a lot of fun to watch," he said.

Turning his focus to the Desert Vipers, who became the first team to qualify for the play-offs, Harbhajan had high praise for their all-round strength.

"From the games I've seen or worked on during my time here, I think the Desert Vipers look like a really strong team. They have a brilliant bowling lineup with the likes of Mohammed Amir and Lockie Ferguson, and their batting features some serious firepower. They are real contenders for the championship," he added.

Looking ahead, Harbhajan shared his predictions for the highest run-scorer (Green Belt) and wicket-taker (White Belt) of the season.

"I think Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammed Amir have been in phenomenal form with the ball, taking wickets in every game. I think one of them could finish at the top of the ladder. So far, Shai Hope and Tom Banton have scored a lot of runs, but the second part of the tournament has just started. I want to see more players performing, scoring runs, and climbing up the ladder," he noted.

On the future of the league, he said, "This league is very important for UAE cricket. At the moment we have two players from the UAE in each team, maybe that number will go up to three or four in the next few seasons as the UAE players are getting better." (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)