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Who Is Khuzaima Tanveer? Pakistan-born UAE pace gem ignored for IPL 2026 auction

Soumyajit Dutta

Khuzaima Bin Tanveer [Source: @ILT20official/X.com]Khuzaima Bin Tanveer [Source: @ILT20official/X.com]

The 12th ILT20 clash between Desert Vipers and Gulf Giants saw a new energy breathing on the field. Khuzaima Bin Tanveer. A Pakistan-born by origin who has been breathing fire for the UAE since January 2025.

The pace magic by Tanveer that left batters in awe

Khuzaima produced unbelievable figures of 4/10 from his 4 overs in the T20 clash that saw an inhuman display of pace bowling. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was a mere spectator when a jaffa cleaned up his stumps in just the third ball of the second over. Absolute seam presentation by Tanveer that had the ball coming in and swinging away to deceive Gurbaz.

James Vince of the Gulf Giants was the next hunt in the penultimate ball of the same over. Another outswinger on a good length, a swing, and edged. Vince, speechless, walks out of the field.

Khuzaima magic flays Giants in ILT20

In the next over of his night, Khuzaima finds Pathum Nissanka as the batter tries to whip up a pull shot off a short-length delivery. Unable to clear the rope, Sam Curran palms it. 

Inside the powerplay, Khuzaima bags another one. Gerhard Erasmus tries to cut away a beautifully placed delivery in the good length and nicks it off as the first slip takes a comfortable catch.

This instantly underlines the quality Tanveer presents. Two slips fielded in a T20 match, and that too in the powerplays. It was more like a Test match quality bowling that Tanveer presented on the night of December 12. 

Undeniably, Tanveer’s heroics put the Vipers up in the game with 158 runs to chase, which the Lockie Ferguson-led team chased inside 17 overs comfortably.

Khuzaima's humble beginnings and club cricket days

Born in Faisalabad, Khuzaima Tanveer’s journey into professional cricket has been shaped by persistence. From an early age, he was deeply drawn to fast bowling, spending years honing his skills away from the spotlight. 

Now 25, Tanveer represents the UAE, but his cricketing roots stretch back to 2019, when he began playing college and club tournaments to keep his ambition alive.

During his formative years, Tanveer experimented as a batter as well, but it was bowling that eventually defined his path. His breakthrough came in the Karachi Premier League, where he turned out for the Karachi Stallions in 2021 as an all-rounder. 

The exposure helped him sharpen his craft, and he went on to feature in local competitions such as the KML and SBPL before formally registering as a professional cricketer in the UAE setup.

Tanveer enters UAE setup

Tanveer has since become a regular for the UAE national side, featuring in 13 T20I matches so far. His growing reputation earned him a Desert Vipers contract in the ILT20 in 2024.

While his debut season was modest, yielding seven wickets from seven outings, the 2025 edition has marked a clear leap forward. He has already claimed 10 wickets in just five matches, emerging as one of the most impactful pacers of the tournament.

Did IPL 2026 miss a gem in-making?

His four-wicket haul against the Gulf Giants underlined the level of control and pace he brings to the shortest format. On raw T20 surfaces, Tanveer’s ability to swing the ball at high speed makes him a dangerous proposition. 

With the IPL 2026 auction approaching and an overseas-heavy shortlist in place, his absence stands out. Given his recent performances, it would not have been surprising to see Tanveer spark a bidding war. In overlooking him, the IPL may well have missed out on a genuine overseas fast-bowling gem.