Follow UsWest Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer has been snapped up by Desert Vipers as their wildcard signing ahead of the upcoming International League T20 (ILT20) season, the franchise announced on October 7 (Tuesday).
While winning the title with the Vipers remains his priority, he also wants to use it as a platform from where he can get selected for the West Indies for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka next year and also go all the way in the mega event as well. The West Indies have won the T20 World Cup twice - in 2012 and 2016 - but since then, have been disappointing, including losing to Scotland in 2022.
“I am going to try to repay the faith shown in me by the Vipers in the upcoming ILT20. Hopefully, we can gel as a team and lift the franchise’s first trophy," he said.
“I am also hoping I can get into my best form leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and then just see as much as possible how best I could help the West Indies to get the trophy, after a successful ILT20.”
Hetmyer's Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) finished runners-up in the recently-concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 and he has also played in every single franchise league across the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is confident of Vipers going on to secure the title this time.
“I am sure our chances this year are high because I have seen the team get to the finals in the first season and even this past season as well. So, it is fun to join a team with a very good record under their belt," he said.
“I am pretty excited, actually, so I just cannot wait to get there [to the UAE] and help the team and try my best to help them cross that line and lift that trophy.”
Hetmyer has played just one edition of the T20 World Cup, which was in 2021. He was left out of the 2022 edition as he missed his flight to Australia, and a lack of form saw him sit out in 2024, which was jointly hosted by the West Indies and USA.