Nepali all-rounder Kushal Malla is set to play in the International League T20 (ILT20) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after being signed by the Desert Vipers. The franchise brought Malla on board to replace injured Dutch all-rounder Bas de Leede.

Desert Vipers’ Director of Cricket, Tom Moody, expressed confidence in Malla’s abilities, stating, “He is a young player but has already gained significant experience at the highest level.”

Malla is currently Nepal’s fifth-highest run-scorer in T20 internationals, amassing 917 runs in 47 matches, including one century and four half-centuries. Notably, he scored an unbeaten 137 runs off 50 balls against Mongolia in the Asian Games, reaching his century in just 34 deliveries. Additionally, he has taken 43 wickets in both ODI and T20 international formats combined and has 768 runs in 39 ODIs.

The Desert Vipers, runners-up in the inaugural ILT20 season, are set to face the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the opening match of the 2025 edition. The team boasts an impressive roster, including Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Rohan Mustafa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sherfane Rutherford, Sheldon Cottrell, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Luke Wood, Dinesh Chandimal, and Ruben Trumpelmann.

The Desert Vipers is a professional Twenty20 franchise cricket team competing in the Emirati International League T20.