Caribbean batter Shimron Hetmyer has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IL T20 due to a hamstring injury. As his replacement, Desert Vipers have signed former England opener Jason Roy.
Hetmyer sustained the injury during Tuesday’s match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. The left-handed middle-order batter featured in all of the team’s first seven matches of the tournament but struggled to make a big impact with the bat. He scored 111 runs in six innings at an average of 18.50, although his strike rate was impressive at 160.86. His highest score came in a 48-run knock off just 25 balls.
Roy, who gets an opportunity following Hetmyer’s setback, is no stranger to the IL T20. He played two matches for Knight Riders in the 2023–24 season and later featured for Sharjah Warriors in the 2024–25 edition, scoring 298 runs in 12 matches.
Having won six of their first seven matches, Desert Vipers remain at the top of the points table and faced Sharjah Warriors on Saturday.
