Shimron Hetmyer, the Desert Vipers’ standout hitter, has been ruled out for the remainder of the competition due to a hamstring injury. The Caribbean hitter sustained an injury while playing against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) on Tuesday, December 16, and has been replaced in the Vipers’ lineup by former England batter Jason Roy.
Shimron Hetmyer has been in all seven games for the Vipers this season but has not performed to his full ability.
While he only scored 111 runs in six innings with an average of 18.50, he had an excellent strike rate of 160.86. Hetmyer’s highest score was a stunning 48 off 25 balls against ADKR on December 5.
Tom Moody, Vipers’ Director of Cricket, expressed disappointment at losing the services of a seasoned combatant in the shortest format, like as Hetmyer. However, the former Australian all-rounder outlined how Roy can assist the Vipers in the tail of the campaign.
“We are extremely disappointed to lose a player of Shimron’s quality and experience as he has played a positive role in our squad this season, but securing someone of Jason’s pedigree and experience certainly softens that blow,” Moody was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“Jason ticks all the boxes for us. He knows the format inside-out, he is a versatile batter who can go through the gears, he provides us options up and down the order, he has been playing recently and he has experience in the ILT20,” he added.
Roy recently featured in the Nepal Premier League shortly after his stint in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. He also carries ample experience of playing in the ILT20, having represented Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in two games in 2024 and Sharjah Warriorz in 12 games last season.
The Vipers have already made it to the playoffs. On Saturday, December 20, they outclassed Sharjah Warriorz by four wickets to register their seventh win in eight matches this season. Roy came in as the Impact Player and was dismissed for one run off six balls.
India
