Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
While the elite of international Twenty20 talent is competing in India, the Punjab Kings franchise have chosen Abu Dhabi to prepare for the upcoming Indian Premier League season. A contingent of the squad arrived in the emirate on February 8 for a week-long training camp at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, continuing the team’s efforts to build momentum following a similar session held in Udaipur, Rajasthan, last month.
The Abu Dhabi camp, which concludes on February 14, is designed to ensure the squad settles well and gels together during the pre-season. The sessions focus on fitness, match practice, and team bonding.
Among the key players attending are Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, and Harpreet Brar, alongside Pyla Avinash, Vishal Nishad, Priyansh Arya, Pravin Dubey, and Yash Thakur. Captain Shreyas Iyer has, however, not yet joined the group in Abu Dhabi.
The franchise enters this training period following a highly successful 2025 campaign. Punjab Kings topped the league table during the group stage, finishing with 19 points from 14 matches. They narrowly missed out on the title, losing the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by just six runs. This period in the Emirates is seen as a vital step in maintaining that consistency as they aim to go one step further in the next edition of the tournament.
The decision to move the camp to Abu Dhabi was influenced by the world-class infrastructure and the local climate. Co-founder Mohit Burman noted that while the team holds camps across India, the current weather in the north of the country is too cold for optimal training.
“We do camps at many places all over India. This time we are here. We played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai during COVID times. The facilities here are very good,” Burman said. He added that the players are enjoying their time in the emirate and expressed confidence for the season ahead, stating, “We are hoping to do well this year, and even win the tournament this year.”
The groundwork for this camp was laid in December during the IPL auction held in the capital. At the time, the team’s main patron, Ness Wadia, praised the sporting infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, describing it as superior to other regional options.
His appreciation for the local facilities gave rise to this boot camp, providing the players with an ideal environment to prepare away from the distractions of home. With the training scheduled to wrap up this week, the franchise remains focused on turning their recent consistency into silverware.
“The roads [in Abu Dhabi] are smooth, the people welcoming, and the pace noticeably different. Everything feels nice and calm here,” Wadia said.
