Desert Vipers at the Global Super League 2026: Squad, Fixtures & How to Watch
Published on July 21, 2026
Summary Overview: Desert Vipers' GSL 2026 guide: ILT20 champions captained by Shadab Khan, full squad, all four fixtures with PKT times, and how to watch on A Sports HD and worldwide.
Desert Vipers at the Global Super League 2026: squad, fixtures, and how to watch
By Duane Martin· Cricket Daily
The reigning champions of the UAE's International League T20 are taking their crown on the road. Desert Vipers head to Guyana for the Global Super League 2026 fresh off a maiden ILT20 title, and they do so under a new leader with a strong Pakistan flavour.
Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan captains the side, stepping in after original skipper Chris Green was ruled out injured, and he reunites with head coach and former
Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood. Every game is live in Pakistan on A Sports HD, with broadcasters worldwide carrying the action.
Here is the full squad, the fixtures, and where to watch.
When do Desert Vipers play at GSL 2026?
The Vipers play four group games, all at Providence Stadium in Guyana. They open against Lahore Qalandars on July 24, then face hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors on July 25, San Francisco Unicorns on July 27 and Perth Scorchers XI on July 28. The team that tops the round-robin goes straight to the August 1 final, with a Qualifier between second and third on July 31.
Who captains the Vipers, and where can fans watch?
Shadab Khan captains, having taken over from the injured Chris Green, with Azhar Mahmood as head coach. In Pakistan, the tournament is live on A Sports HD, with coverage across the Caribbean, USA, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, India and more, plus a free stream on the official GSL YouTube channel elsewhere.
Champions on tour
Desert Vipers are one of the standout stories in franchise cricket. The Sharjah-based side, owned by Avram Glazer's Lancer Capital, finally broke through in the 2025-26 ILT20 season, beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in the final for their maiden title after losing two previous finals. They arrive in Guyana as reigning ILT20 champions.
The leadership change is the headline. Australian all-rounder Chris Green was originally named captain but was ruled out injured, and the armband passed to Shadab Khan. It is a natural fit: the Pakistan leg-spinner captained Islamabad United for seven PSL seasons, guiding them to the 2024 title and winning Player of the
Tournament along the way. He also reunites with Vipers head coach Azhar Mahmood, a former Pakistan all-rounder he has described as a mentor figure.
Around Shadab sits a deep, multinational squad. New Zealand duo Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith, USA keeper-batter Andries Gous, West Indies pair Kyle Mayers and Khary Pierre, and South Africa's Rilee Rossouw give the group serious quality, backed by a UAE core including young pace bowler Khuzaima Bin Tanveer.
Desert Vipers full squad: GSL 2026
Overseas players are marked with an asterisk. The 14-man squad:
- Shadab Khan (captain) *
- Andries Gous *
- Vriitya Aravind *
- Zachary Carter *
- Bevon Jacobs *
- Kyle Mayers *
- Daryl Mitchell *
- Sanjay Pahal
- Khuzaima Bin Tanveer
- Rilee Rossouw *
- Nathan Smith *
- Khary Pierre *
- Ramon Simmonds *
- Matiullah Khan
That is a powerful group: top-order firepower in Mitchell, Gous, Mayers and Rossouw, all-round balance through Shadab and Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, and a varied attack with Khary Pierre and Nathan Smith supporting the captain's leg spin.
Desert Vipers fixtures: GSL 2026
All four games are at Providence Stadium, Guyana. Times below are in Pakistan time (PKT), with IST and local Guyana time alongside.
| Date | Match | PKT | IST | Local | ET |
| Fri, Jul 24 | Desert Vipers v Lahore Qalandars | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| Sat, Jul 25 | Desert Vipers v Guyana Amazon Warriors | 4:00 AM (Jul 26) | 4:30 AM (Jul 26) | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Mon, Jul 27 | Desert Vipers v San Francisco Unicorns | 4:00 AM (Jul 28) | 4:30 AM (Jul 28) | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Tue, Jul 28 | Desert Vipers v Perth Scorchers XI | 4:00 AM (Jul 29) | 4:30 AM (Jul 29) | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
For fans at home, the opener against Lahore Qalandars is the prime-time pick at 7:00 PM PKT (7:30 PM IST). The other three are evening games in Guyana, so they start in the early hours, around 4:00 AM PKT.
Where to watch: Full country list
The Global Super League has broad international coverage. The confirmed broadcast partners include:
- Pakistan: A Sports HD
- USA and Canada: Willow TV
- Caribbean: Rush, with local Guyana coverage on ENet, TVG and NCN, and Trinidad on TV6
- Australia: Fox Sports
- Bangladesh: T-Sports
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ
- India: FanCode (digital)
- Sri Lanka: local broadcaster (Supreme TV / Dialog)
- Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia: Cricbuzz (Cricbuzz TV)
- Everywhere else: the official Global Super League YouTube channel streams matches free in territories without a broadcast deal
Broadcast and streaming arrangements can shift, so confirm your local platform closer to the July 23 opener.
Quick links
- Global Super League 2026 News
- Global Super League 2026 Fixtures
- Global Super League 2026 Points table
- Desert Vipers Schedule Download PDF
- Global Super League 2026 Full Series Guide
For scores and full coverage through the tournament, keep it locked to Cricket Daily.