KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The six franchises of the DP World International League T20 have moved early to lock in four players each as their most crucial recruits with which to launch their title bids in the UAE’s premier cricket tournament when it returns for a fifth season later this year.
Star batsmen such as Finn Allen, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen join the league as pre-auction signings, the initial process through which each team chooses to retain or sign up players during a draft-cum-auction process.
Allen (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Miller and Klaasen (both Gulf Giants) will be making their maiden DP World ILT20 appearances while big-hitting Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis (Dubai Capitals) makes a return to the tournament after a three-year absence.
Defending champions Desert Vipers have retained Andries Gous and Dan Lawrence while all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and fast bowler.
Meanwhile, other popular performers in the past at DP World ILT20 such as Jason Holder, Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Shimron Hetmyer (Desert Vipers), Rovman Powell and Mustafizur Rahman (Dubai Capitals), Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan, Romario Shepherd (MI Emirates) and Sikandar Raza (Sharjah Warriorz) return to their Season 4 franchises.
The six franchises will now complete their selection process by adding UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and additional foreign players – minimum of 18 and a maximum of 23 players per squad – at an auction in Dubai on October 1.
Players can submit their interest on the ILT20 website latest by September 12. Following the auction, each team will be permitted to add one further Wildcard signing as a late cover for any changes.
Meanwhile, Warriorz have appointed Adrian Birrell as coach to revive the team’s fortunes after failing four consecutive seasons. He guided Sunrisers Eastern Cape to three SA20 titles, making them the most successful franchise in the league. Birrell also famously guided Ireland to the Super Eight stage in the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.