Today's Edition
Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)
The player draft for the seventh season of the T10 League, to be held at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, has been conducted with 107 spots filled up among the 10 franchises this year, a bump by two.
The 2024 edition, to be held from November 21 to December 2, saw over 1,000 players registered this year. Nearly 450 were shortlisted while the existing teams also went through their lineups for some chop and changes.
Two new teams, Bolts Ajman and UP Nawabs, moved to get some top picks ahead of the draft as they try to formulate teams which can compete with New York Strikers, Deccan Gladiators, Northern Warriors, Morrisville Samp Army, Delhi Bulls, Bangla Tigers, Team Abu Dhabi, and Chennai Brave Jaguars.
Team Abu Dhabi
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A total of 179 star players or upcoming talented players will participate in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10, making it the biggest season ever. Aayan Afzal Khan of the UAE was retained by his team which has been rebranded from The Chennai Braves to Jaguar Braves.
Star names from different countries such as Johnny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler (England); Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine (West Indies); Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim (Pakistan); Dasun Shanaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka); Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan); Bangladesh Member of Parliament Shakib-ul-Hasan; Anrich Nortje, Faf du Plessis and Chris Lynn (South Africa); Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult and James Neesham (New Zealand), and Marcus Stoinis.
The red-hot pick of the draft was South African Dewald Brevis, popularly known as "Baby AB de Villiers". Having played for the five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians, Brevis has gained immense popularity for his distinctive batting style, particularly in the Asian subcontinent. Almost every franchise had their eyes on him, but he was ultimately drafted by the defending champions, New York Strikers.
Players from 11 different nations were drafted, showcasing the truly global nature of the Abu Dhabi T10 while also providing the opportunity for the local players.
Leading the selections were 20 players from the West Indies while the rest of the breakup being the UAE (17), Sri Lanka (15), Pakistan (14), Afghanistan (11), English (9), and Zimbabwe (5) among the post prominent ones to make their presence felt.
#AbuDhabiT10 fan favourite Rohan Mustafa confirmed for Morrisville Samp Army 🔒✅#ADT10 #CricketsFastestFormat #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/914keq7dM1
— T10 Global (@T10League) October 17, 2024
Tom Banton, a flamboyant 25-year-old batsman, was another standout selection of the night. He was snapped up by the Delhi Bulls, who were looking to bolster their top order with a powerful hitter. With an impressive international strike rate of 147.96, Banton has become one of the most coveted players in the English cricket circuit.
Debutants Bolts Ajman made the most draft picks, selecting 14 players and balancing youth with experience across various categories of players.
They brought in seasoned stars like Mohammad Nabi and Alex Hales, alongside 20-year-old Sri Lankan batter Shevon Daniel, to create a well-rounded squad with new direct signings where James Neesham came as an icon player and Mujheeb Ur Rahman as a platinum superstar.
The UP Nawabs drafted 13 players, including West Indies fast bowler Odean Smith and Afghanistan's dependable all-rounder Najibullah Zadran. Rahmanullah Gurbaz serves as the team's icon, with English stars Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, and Adil Rashid further strengthening the squad's composition.
