[PICTURES] Abu Dhabi T10 league to be played from January 28 to February 6

[MenInG]

The fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League will take place from January 28 to February 6 next year in which eight teams will fight for the championship title at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, it was announced on Monday.

Shaji Ul Mulk, founder and chairman of T10 Sports Management, said, "In the past three years, since launching the T10 League in Sharjah Cricket Stadium in 2017, the T10 League has come of age and has been accepted as the fastest-growing and the most popular cricket format.

The fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League will take place from January 28 to February 6 next year in which eight teams will fight for the championship title at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, it was announced on Monday.

Shaji Ul Mulk, founder and chairman of T10 Sports Management, said, "In the past three years, since launching the T10 League in Sharjah Cricket Stadium in 2017, the T10 League has come of age and has been accepted as the fastest-growing and the most popular cricket format.

"The T10 League is now one of the most sought after international cricket leagues with such popularity that Abu Dhabi decided to host it for five years with major government bodies joining hands to embrace and support the tournament," he added.

Meanwhile, Haroon Lorgat, former CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been appointed as director for strategy and development by T10 Sports Management to spearhead growth and development of the ten-over format cricket worldwide.

In his new role, Lorgat will advise Mulk on growth strategies for T10 cricket. He will also develop, profile and promote the Abu Dhabi T10 League worldwide with the aim of having multiple T10 leagues in viable countries. He will connect with key stakeholders to promote the league and work with them to develop T10 cricket around the world.

"I am glad that Haroon Lorgat has accepted the challenge. He will engage with relevant authorities and stakeholders to create multiple T10 League properties in both Full and Associate Member countries where cricket is a popular game. With him on board, we will chart an exciting development program worldwide to popularise the game of cricket with this exciting new format," Mulk said.

Lorgat served as the ICC CEO for four years from 2008 to 2012.

After his term at the ICC, he assisted Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and then the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a consultant. In July 2013, he was appointed Chief Executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA) and has been lauded for restoring the reputation of CSA after a difficult period.

Accepting the new role, Lorgat said, "I witnessed T10 cricket for the first time last year and was amazed by its appeal and potential for advancement. The impressive growth of the Abu Dhabi T10 League has attracted global attention and it is now ready for expansion worldwide. I am delighted to join Abu Dhabi T10 and to play a part in growing the league and T10 cricket around the world."

"I will be keen to work closely with the ICC and Member countries to promote the game and build on the foundation laid by Mr Shaji Ul Mulk and his team," he added.

The 2019 edition, which was won by Dwayne Bravo-led Maratha Arabians, saw an incredible 124,000 fans descend on Zayed Cricket Stadium across the 10 days of high-octane tournament play, and confirming a record sports spectator audience for events in the UAE.

https://www.indiatvnews.com/sports/c...ruary-6-656327

[SensiblePakFan]

Without crowds, itll be hard to keep the tournament finances going, they had pretty decent crowds in Abu Dhabi last time.

[MenInG]

Shoaib Malik has been signed up for Maratha Arabians as an icon player

[HappyWarsFan]

Mohammad Amir will gladly join.

[MenInG]

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 16 December 2020: Abu Dhabi T10, the world’s only ten-over international cricket
event sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and licensed by the Emirates Cricket Board
(ECB), will be back for its fourth season from 28th January to 6th February 2021. The second edition
will be played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The eight teams which fought fiercely for 2019 honours are all confirmed to return. The sides are;
Team Abu Dhabi, Maratha Arabians, Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Qalandars, Delhi Bulls,
Northern Warriors, and; the Karnataka Tuskers has rebranded and will be known as Pune Devils.

==

[MenInG]

Dubai, December 18: Pune Devils are all set to make a debut in the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League which is scheduled to start from January 28, 2021 in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi T10 is the only ICC-sanctioned T10 cricket tournament in the world.

Owned by Alpha Sports, Pune Devils has appointed South African veteran Jonty Rhodes as its head coach and Sri Lankan limited-overs specialist Thisara Perera as an all-rounder. Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir will spearhead the pace attack for Pune Devils.

On Thursday (December 17), Amir confirmed his retirement from international cricket to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The Pakistan pacer played 36 Tests, 61 ODIs, and 50 T20Is. Amir went on to take 259 wickets across three formats of the game. Speaking on his new role, Rhodes in a statement said, "I'm really excited to be chosen as the head coach of Pune Devils. Really looking forward to an exciting and entertaining season ahead."

On joining Pune Devils, Perera said, "I am excited and looking forward to being a part of Pune Devils at the upcoming T10 tournament in Abu Dhabi. This is going to be extra special given that we are a new team with a lot of talent to explore."

Speaking on the announcement, Krishan Kumar Chaudhary, Co-owner of Pune Devils said, "We are thrilled to be a part of the swiftest and the most exciting cricket tournament played by some of the world's biggest names. With Jonty as our Head coach and the likes of Thisara and Amir we are confident and look forward to a new season of Abu Dhabi T10 Tournament."

Pune Devils is co-owned by Indian film producers Krishan Kumar Choudhary and Parag Sanghvi - the global business tycoons from the real estate, entertainment and hospitality industry in the Indian sub-continent. The fourth edition of the fast-paced tournament is scheduled to be played from January 28 to February 6, 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Read more at: https://www.mykhel.com/cricket/abu-d...ns-157880.html

[Saj]

Qalandars statement.

The management of Abu Dhabi T10 team “Qalandars” has today confirmed Pakistan’s flamboyant all-rounder and former captain Shahid Afridi as its icon player for this year’s edition of Abu Dhabi T10 League.

Afridi, one of the most sought-after white-ball cricketers around the world, will bring experience and excitement to the dugout of Qalandars in the league which is scheduled to be played from January 28th.

[MenInG]

Groups decided today:

[MenInG]

SUPERSTAR LINEUP OF GLOBAL ICONS CONFIRMED FOR ABU DHABI T10

• CHRIS GAYLE TEAM ABU DHABI
• SHAHID AFRIDI QALANDARS
• DWAYNE BRAVO DELHI BULLS
• ANDRE RUSSELL NORTHERN WARRIORS
• SUNIL NARINE DECCAN GLADIATORS
• SHOAIB MALIK MARATHA ARABIANS
• THISARA PERERA PUNE DEVILS
• ISURU UDANA BANGLA TIGERS


2020 EDITION TO BE PLAYED JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 6, 2021


Abu Dhabi, UAE – 21 December 2020: Superstars from around the world are confirmed to play in Abu Dhabi T10 in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The eight teams are taking guard at the Zayed Cricket Stadium for the fourth edition of the tournament - and second season - in Abu Dhabi from January 28 - February 6, 2021.

This season of the Abu Dhabi T10 will see the world’s best take part, including the 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle, the six-hitting West Indian machine Andre Russell, Pakistan’s Shahid ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi.

Arguably the greatest limited-overs cricketer of all-time, Chris Gayle will take centre stage as the ICON player for Team Abu Dhabi. With over 1,000 T20 sixes under his belt, the West Indian is raring to produce the fireworks in the fast-paced ten-over format.

"The shorter the format, the more exciting the game becomes, I can’t wait to play at the Zayed Cricket Stadium again, watch out Abu Dhabi - a Gayle storm is coming!” said Gayle.

No boundary is too big for Andre Russell and once he gets going there is no stopping him. The West Indian has played in more than 300 T20 matches and smashed over 800 boundaries in various leagues around the world will now be a part of the Northern Warriors as ICON player this season.

The Qalandars boasts World T20 winner and Pakistani legend Shahid Afridi in their ranks. He held the record for the fastest century in the ODI format for more than 17 years.

“I look forward to coming back to the Abu Dhabi T10 and playing in one most stunning stadiums in the world" said Afridi.

Dwayne ‘DJ’ Bravo is the former Captain of the West Indies cricket team and the Delhi Bulls have seized the opportunity and signed the West Indian all-rounder as their ICON player for this season.

The batsmen provide the entertainment with sixes and fours, but it's the bowlers who are key in winning tournaments in a quick paced format such as this one. Deccan Gladiators' ICON player Sunil Narine will be a vital inclusion to the team. Sunil’s claim to fame came in 2009 when he picked up all 10 wickets during a trial match and was picked up in the Trinidad and the Tobago squad.

The defending champions Maratha Arabians have decided to back experience for this season as they have signed the World T20-winning player Shoaib Malik as their ICON player. The former Pakistan Captain will lead the Arabians side for this season of the ADT10.

Isuru Udana is set to showcase his slower ball variations as the ICON player for the Bangla Tigers. The Sri Lankan, has come to be known as a T20 specialist in the world of franchise cricket thanks to his performances in the Indian Premier League, Afghanistan Premier League and the World Cup.

Another World T20 winner - Thisara Perera will provide his services with both, bat and ball as the chosen ICON player of the Pune Devils. Perera is known for his destructive batting in the death overs and often performs the role of match finisher for his team.

His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, struck a note of pride in commenting on Abu Dhabi’s ever-increasing sporting reputation:

“Although we have hosted numerous local and international cricket events in the past, our commitment to host the second season of Abu Dhabi T10 enhances our gold star portfolio of world-class destination sporting events. It builds upon and expands our profile for bringing together the top athletes in world sport and offering elite competition and unparalleled entertainment value.”

Abu Dhabi T10 builds on the surging popularity of the global game and is the first-ever 10-over tournament in the world to receive the full backing and sanction of both the International Cricket Council and the Emirates Cricket Board. The eight teams of Abu Dhabi T10 are bracing up for yet another cracker of a season in January/February 2021.

The Abu Dhabi T10 tournament will be broadcast on — Sony in India and Pakistan, Abu Dhabi Sports in the Middle East and North Africa countries, Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and SuperSport in South Africa.

[MenInG]

England cricketer Tom Banton, who had pulled out of Big Bash League (BBL) citing bio-bubble demands, has been retained by the Qalandars for the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 league.

[Bewal Express]

What kind of salaries are they getting in the sloggathon

[MenInG]

Draft happening

[MenInG]

Bangla Tigers sign Mohammad Irfan!

[MenInG]

Deccan Gladiators sign Azam Khan!

[MenInG]

Qalandars sign Sohail Tanvir!

Team Abu Dhabi sign Usman Shinwari!

[MenInG]

Qalandars sign Asif Ali!

[MenInG]

[MenInG]

Qalandars sign Hasan Ali!

[MenInG]

Qalandars sign Sohail Akhtar!

[MenInG]

Qalandars sign Sharjeel Khan!

Northern Warriors sign Amir Yamin!

[The Viper]

[nextover666666]

Wow Afridi has almost represented all Psl owner teams

Zalmi , Karachi , and Multan in PSL

Galle gladiators ( owner of Quetta ) In LPL

And now Qalandars in t10 Abu Dhabi


All that is missing is that he represents Islamabad United


I did feel that since Afridi is iconic player of Pakistan and loved in all of pakistan he should have played for each PSL team atleast once

Who knows maybe next edition he might go to Quetta Lahore or United

[The Viper]

Pakistani players picked in the T10 Draft #Cricket #T10Draft pic.twitter.com/gC9E5gYNSF

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) December 23, 2020

[Ami]

What a waste of Cricket.

[aliasad1998]

Do people genuinely watch this stuff for entertainment?

[SensiblePakFan]

There is a slight chance crowds might be involved, especially if Abu Dhabi authorities give crowd permission to the UFC for the Mcgregor fight happening there in the same timeframe.

[SensiblePakFan]

Wow Afridi has almost represented all Psl owner teams

Zalmi , Karachi , and Multan in PSL

Galle gladiators ( owner of Quetta ) In LPL

And now Qalandars in t10 Abu Dhabi


All that is missing is that he represents Islamabad United


I did feel that since Afridi is iconic player of Pakistan and loved in all of pakistan he should have played for each PSL team atleast once

Who knows maybe next edition he might go to Quetta Lahore or United

Great to see, a true Pakistani

[Saj]

Team Line-Ups

Group A

Team Name : Maratha Arabians

Icon Player : Shoaib Malik

Team : Mohammad Hafeez, Laurie Evans, Mosaddek Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Pravin Tambe, Ishan Malhotra, Muktar Ali, Amjad Khan, Abdul Shakoor, Maroof Merchant, Sompal Kami, Syed Shah


Team : Bangla Tigers

Icon Player : Isuru Udana

Team : Andre Fletcher, Tom Moores, Qais Ahmad, Chirag Suri, Johnson Charles, David Wiese, Mohammad Irfan, Afif Hossain, Adam Hose, Karim Janat, Aryan Lakra, Fazal Haque, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mahedi Hasan


Team Name : Delhi Bulls

Icon Player : Dwayne Bravo

Team : Ali Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Dushmantha Chameera, Sherfane Rutherford, Evin Lewis, Dasun Shanaka, Adam Lyth, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Fidel Edwards, Shiraz Ahmed, Kashif Daud, Waqar Salamkheil, Nyeem Young, Amad Butt


Team Name : Northern Warriors

Icon Player : Andre Russell

Team : Rayad Emrit, Nicholas Pooran, Lendl Simmons, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Siddique, Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Nuwan Pradeep, Aamer Yamin, Brandon King, Waheed Ahmed, Maheesh Theekshana, Ansh Tandon


Group B

Team Name : Deccan Gladiators

Icon Player : Sunil Narine

Team : Kieron Pollard, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Zahoor Khan, Colin Ingram, Mohammad Shahzad, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Azam Khan, Ravi Rampaul, Prashant Gupta, Zeeshan Zameer, Hamdan Tahir, Hafeez-ur-Rehman, Imran Tahir, Imtiyaz Ahmed


Team : Qalandars

Icon Player : Shahid Afridi

Team : Samit Patel, Phil Salt, Chris Jordan, Sultan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Sohail Tanvir, Asif Ali, Hasan Ali, Sohail Akhtar, Sharjeel Khan, Fayyaz Ahmed, Azmatullah Omarzai, Maaz Khan, Khurshid Anwar, Ben Dunk


Team : Team Abu Dhabi

Icon Player : Chris Gayle

Team : Rohan Mustafa, Luke Wright, Avishka Fernando, Hayden Walsh Jr, Chris Morris, Usman Shinwari, Naveen-ul-Haq, Obed McCoy, Najibullah Zadran, Ben Cox, Palaniapan Meiyappan, Leonardo Julien, Kushal Malla, Alex Hales


Team : Pune Devils

Icon Player : Thisara Pereira

Team : Mohammad Amir, Hardus Viljoen, Chamara Kapugedera, Sam Billings, Ajantha Mendis, Devon Thomas, Darwish Rasooli, Nasir Hossain, Kennar Lewis, Asif Khan, Mohammad Boota, Dinesh Kumar, Vriitya Aravind, Karan KC, Munis Ansari

[KoyoAli]

T10 can do to cricket what T20 did, feels Dwayne Bravo

West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo feels the T10 format can bring about a revolution similar to the one that was seen following the advent of T20 cricket more than 15 years ago.

Bravo is gearing up to take part in the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10.

Speaking about the game’s newest avatar, he said, “T10 is an exciting tournament and it’s a competition that is just the way T20 started a few years ago – being the hottest thing in the market, and attracting so many people around the world.

“I think T10 definitely can do something similar. I believe it can also help players prolong their careers, and as a bowler, I use it as an opportunity to challenge myself because it’s not a bowler-friendly tournament, and you come up against the best players in the world.

“So I use it as an opportunity to work on my skills and challenge and see how I can still compete at the highest level.”
He was one of the standout performers in the previous edition of Abu Dhabi T10 as he led his former team Maratha Arabians to their first-ever title after defeating Deccan Gladiators in the final.

The flamboyant cricketer has now switched sides for the upcoming season of Abu Dhabi T10, and has again been joined by coach Andy Flower, who has also made the switch from the Arabians to the Delhi Bulls.

“I must be very honest that it’s a really hard tournament to win. What will work for us is the fact that both the coach (Andy Flower) and myself will be on the same page.

https://indianexpress.com/article/sp...bravo-7139548/

[Gabbar Singh]

It’s embarrassing the way these players big up such leagues and formats just because they are being paid by the organisers.

[MenInG]

Abu Dhabi T10 returns to action at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on January 28 with the defending champions Maratha Arabians taking on the Northern Warriors in a mouth-watering season opener. The 28 January – 1st February match schedule is as follows;

DAY 1

• Maratha vs Northern Warriors
• Pune Devils vs Deccan Gladiators
• Delhi Bulls vs Bangla Tigers


DAY 2

• Pune Devils vs Qalandars
• Maratha Arabians vs Delhi Bulls
• Deccan Gladiators vs Team Abu Dhabi


DAY 3

• Bangla Tigers vs Maratha Arabians
• Team Abu Dhabi vs Qalandars
• Northern Warriors vs Delhi Bulls


DAY4

• Team Abu Dhabi vs Pune Devils
• Bangla Tigers vs Northern Warriors
• Qalandars vs Deccan Gladiators


In a format that is brimming with action right from the word go, there will be;

• Three high-octane 10-over matches of international cricket per night
• 29 matches over the duration of the 10-day schedule
• 43 total hours of international cricket
• 66 international players on show every night of the tournament.

“Abu Dhabi T10 is the fastest action packed format and the future of cricket. I am pleased to announce yet another exciting season 4 tournament schedule “ said Shaji Ul-Mulk, Chairman – Ten Sports Management. “We have the world’s best cricketers on show – from West Indian superstars Chris Gayle and Dwayne ‘DJ’ Bravo to Pakistani legends Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik – who all attest to its appeal and to how cricket is quickly evolving.”

This season there are eight teams divided into two groups. The teams will play three matches each in the group stage before heading into the Super League on February 1. A total of 12 matches in the group stage, followed by 12 more in the Super League, will give way to the playoffs from February 5.

The top two ranked teams will take on each other in the Qualifier for a place in the final, while the third and fourth-ranked teams will be up against each other in Eliminator 1 on February 5. Thereafter the runner-up in the Qualifier will play against the winner of Eliminator 1 in Eliminator 2 for a place in the final on the same day.

The third-place match and the grand final will be held on February 6.

The Maratha Arabians, Bangla Tigers, Delhi Bulls, and Northern Warriors will battle it out in Group A, while last season's finalists Deccan Gladiators will be up against Qalandars, Team Abu Dhabi and Pune Devils in Group B. The teams were assigned their respective groups through a Team Draw in December.

Universe Boss Chris Gayle will take the pitch for home favourites Team Abu Dhabi on January 29, while globe-trotting allrounder Andre Russell will don the Northern Warriors’ jersey on the opening day. Sri Lankan star Isuru Udana will also be seen in action for Bangla Tigers.

[MenInG]

Looking to execute my plans well against Chris Gayle,' says Isuru Udana ahead of the second season of Abu Dhabi T10

~ Isuru Udana speaks about playing in the second season of Abu Dhabi T10 ~

Abu Dhabi, 16 January 2021: Sri Lankan medium-fast bowler Isuru Udana, who has come to be known as a T20 specialist in the last few years, will be turning up as the Icon player for the Bangla Tigers in the second season of the Abu Dhabi T10.

The tournament is set to be played at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 28th January - 6th February 2021. Udana expressed that he is very excited to be a part of the Bangla Tigers family,

"The Abu Dhabi T10 will be a fun tournament. We can enjoy a lot. The T10 format is especially a bit hard for bowlers, but it will be enjoyable. I am really excited to be part of the Bangla Tigers family and I can't wait to join the players and start playing with them."

The Sri Lankan will be up against West Indian legend Chris Gayle when his side faces Team Abu Dhabi in the tournament. Udana said that it's very important to execute one's plans against the 'Universe Boss', "Whenever you have to face the 'Universe Boss', you have to execute your plans very well so I am just thinking about my plans and I want to execute them well."

The 32-year-old, who has an excellent bowling average of 25.17 in T20s, expressed that he is looking forward to playing with Andre Fletcher in the Abu Dhabi T10, "We have a good team. I am waiting to play alongside Andre Fletcher (West Indies). I have seen him perform well in the Big Bash League. There are a lot of good players in the other teams as well and this is going to be a great tournament for all of us."

While speaking about the best players in white ball cricket, Udana had no hesitation in naming Indian captain Virat Kohli as the best batsman in the world, "I think the best batsman in white ball cricket is Virat Kohli, best bower I'll go for Mitchell Starc and I like Ravindra Jadeja an all-rounder."

It has not been an easy time for any sportsperson since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Udana said that one has to be back one's strength during this difficult period.

"It's not easy to do our gym and running sessions during a pandemic since we can't go out every now and then. I think during this time, one has to believe in oneself and back one's strength. That's the main thing. The best advice I would like to give to upcoming players is that they should try to enjoy the game. And the other advice I can give is that they should try to execute their plans well," signed off Udana.

[MenInG]

10 days, 29 matches - Abu Dhabi set to headline the future of cricket

The world's first-ever ten-over format international league – Abu Dhabi T10 will be hosted at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 28th January - 6th February 2021

Date: Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 18, 2021

The most explosive players from around the world, a revolutionary new format, a thrilling 10-day itinerary and one of the finest venues – the stage is set for Abu Dhabi T10! The world's first-ever ten-over format international league will be hosted at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 28th January - 6th February 2021.

From the big-hitting ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle to Shahid ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi to the spin wizard Sunil Narine, the very best of the best are making their way to the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium to do what they do best - entertain. They will come out with all guns blazing from the go as each Abu Dhabi T10 match will last only 90 minutes, so expect some fast-paced thrilling action laced with a lot of sixes and wickets.

Eight franchises which will battle it out in the middle: Team Abu Dhabi, Maratha Arabians, Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Qalandars, Delhi Bulls, Northern Warriors and Pune Devils.

Defending champions Maratha Arabians will be up against the Northern Warriors in the season opener on 28 January 2021, while Team Abu Dhabi will take the field against last season's runner-up Deccan Gladiators on 29 January 2021.

The star line-up for the competition doesn't just end at Gayle, Afridi and Narine; Pakistan's Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez are set to showcase their all-rounding prowess, West Indies' Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard will light up the death overs with their big strikes and South Africa's Chris Morris and Imran Tahir aren't going to back away when they take on some of the top ball strikers from around the globe.

The defending champions Maratha Arabians have been pitted against Bangla Tigers, Delhi Bulls and Northern Warriors in Group A, while last season's runners up Deccan Gladiators will be up against Qalandars, Team Abu Dhabi and Pune Devils in Group B. The teams were assigned their respective groups through a Team Draw in December. All the eight franchises confirmed their team line-ups after picking their players in the Abu Dhabi T10 Players’ Draft last month.

In only 10 days’ time, the second season of the Abu Dhabi T10 will set the cricket stage on fire, marking a stupendous start to the cricket season in 2021.

[Babbar]

Nothing Indian about these teams with Indian sounding names. I guess even Big Bash and PSL will soon start calling at least one team Delhi DoDos or Kolkata Kats to attract some illiterate Indian fans.

In IT or eCommerce terms, this way to trap gullible called Phishing.

[KoyoAli]

'Will be watching everything very keenly as the mentor of the Northern Warriors,' says Mohammad Azharuddin ahead of the new season of Abu Dhabi T10

Abu Dhabi, 19 January 2021: Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who scored over 15,000 runs in international cricket, is all set to take up the role of team mentor for the Northern Warriors in the second season of Abu Dhabi T10, powered by sky247net. The competition will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 28th January - 6th February 2021. Azharuddin expressed that he will be observing all the practice sessions and matches carried out by Warriors very keenly, "I will be watching everything very keenly as the mentor of the Northern Warriors. Actually, the coach runs the team, so I will be giving advice to the players and coaches as the mentor of the team. If I find something is not up to the mark or my advice is needed for something, that's when I will step in as a mentor."
Even though the Northern Warriors have many star players such as Lendl Simmons and Nicholas Pooran in their side, Azharuddin made it very clear that he is not looking forward to working with only a few players. "For me, there's not one player that I am looking forward to working with, but I am looking forward to working with all the players in the Northern Warriors team. My role as a mentor is to look after the entire team," said the former India captain.

When asked about his thoughts on the fast-paced T10 format, Azharuddin said that one will get a better idea about the format if it's played in more countries, "T10 is a good format, but it's held only in the UAE at the moment. If there are more T10 tournaments all over the world, then only we will know how good the format would be. As of now, the T10 has picked up as this is the fourth year (second edition of Abu Dhabi T10 and fourth year of the tournament overall) that the tournament is being held in the UAE."
The former India captain said that he enjoyed Test cricket and One Day Internationals during his career, but he is not sure if he would have enjoyed the T10 format.

"I am not sure if I would have enjoyed playing T10, unless I play a game here and there, which is not possible at the moment. I really enjoyed Test cricket and One-day cricket. So, I don't know if I would have enjoyed T10 or not, because unless you play, you won't understand," signed off Azharuddin.
The co-owner of the Northern Warriors team – Mohomed Morani expressed that Azharuddin's experience at the highest level will be hugely beneficial for the players, "We are looking forward to another cracker of a season and we are absolutely delighted to have Mohammad Azharuddin as the mentor of the Northern Warriors team. His sound knowledge of the game and experience at the highest level will be hugely beneficial for our players."

[KoyoAli]

Pakistan cricket legend Mudassar Nazar, who scored over 6,500 runs and took over 150 wickets in international cricket, has been appointed as the Technical Director for T10 Sports Management (TSM).

TSM is a group company of the multinational and diversified conglomerate Mulk Holdings. The former all-rounder joins T10 Sports Management just before the start of the second season of Abu Dhabi, slated to be held at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 28 January to 06 February 2021. The Abu Dhabi T10, which is the brainchild of Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, and founder of Mulk Holdings, is the world’s only ten-over cricket league officially sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and licensed by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).

Speaking about the importance of the T10 format, Mudassar Nazar, Technical Director, T10 Sports Management, said, "We are in the entertainment business, whether it was 100 years ago or it's now. If the audience is not entertained, then we don't move an inch. Any cricketer, who is in love with the game, will love to watch any format and this is a very exciting format. If I was still playing, I would have tried this format. I would have trained hard and probably changed my approach to the game and that is why it's so fascinating to see players who are so good in the four-day and five-day formats and then they change their game and skill and then try and outperform people in this event."

Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management, said, “We are absolutely delighted to have Mudassar Nazar on board as the Technical Director. Being one of the greats of the game, Mudassar will have a lot of valuable insights to share with us, which will be a big boost for the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. We are looking forward to a wonderful working relationship with him.”

International star cricketers such as West Indies' Chris Gayle and Andre Russell, and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, among others, have been confirmed for the eight-team cricket extravaganza in January-February. The eight franchises, who will fight it out in the middle include Team Abu Dhabi, Maratha Arabians, Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Qalandars, Delhi Bulls, Northern Warriors and Pune Devils.

[MenInG]

FMC Group owned Bangla Tigers today announced 39 yrs. old EX Sri Lankan cricketer Thilina Kandamby as head coach of Bangla Tigers for the upcoming season of Abu Dhabi T10 cricket League 2021. He will work closely with Lance Klusener (Director – Cricket Operations) and Paul Farbrace (Advisor).

On his appointment, Thilina said “He is thankful to the franchise for giving him this opportunity and he is excited for the challenges ahead. T10 is a fast-evolving format of cricket and I am looking forward to experience it personally.

Commenting on Kandamby appointment, Mr. Mohammad Yasin Chowdhury, Chairman, Bangla Tigers said “We are pleased to have Thilina on board with us, he was the coach of Jaffa Stallions who won the recently concluded Lanka Premier League, and we are looking forward for him to help us lift the trophy this year.”

Paul Farbrace (Advisor) to Bangla Tigers said “T10 is a fantastic game and the team that will be able execute their plan under pressure better, have a strong chance to win the tournament. Having interacted with Kandamby as a player during my time in Sri Lanka as a coach, I know he has a very good acumen of the game and handles the pressure of the game well, which will intern benefit our exciting young group of players. Due to unavoidable circumstances, I won’t be available with the team in UAE this year but will continue to be involved closely with the players and team management by providing my observations and hopefully we look forward to winning the title this year.”

[MenInG]

Reports suggest Shahid Afridi had problems with visit visa for UAE and will miss first game for Qalandars

[SensiblePakFan]

Afridi in a Qalandars jersey will be interesting.