Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE's leading cricketers will get a taste of the global franchise circuit in the cricketing world and gain experience in the heart of Europe this June as a quartet of national team stars prepares to feature in the inaugural EUT20 Belgium league.
The four players were drafted in the new league which will be played from June 6 to 14 and will have five teams to start with – Akcel United Brussels, JB Bruges, Antwerp Anchors, Ghent Gladiators and Liege Red Lions.
Pace spearhead Junaid Siddique and rising all-rounder Aayan Khan have been secured by Bruges and Antwerp respectively, while Ghent have bolstered their ranks with the draft signings of Ajay Kumar and Khuzaima bin Tanveer.
The tournament represents significant exposure opportunity for the Emirates' domestic talent to test their mettle in unfamiliar conditions alongside some of the world's most seasoned internationals.
For Siddique, the move to Belgium marks a return to a country he visited during the UAE's Netherlands tour last year. However, this trip will be strictly professional as he looks to exploit the seam-friendly conditions of Northern Europe.
"I am quite looking forward to it," Siddique told Aletihad. "When we went to the Netherlands for our World Cup League Two matches last year, we visited Belgium as well. The weather will be great and I am relishing the opportunity of playing in conditions ideal for fast bowling."
Siddique is no stranger to high-pressure franchise environments, having previously shared dugouts with global stars in the Abu Dhabi T10. In Belgium, he will reunite with familiar faces while forging new partnerships.
"I have played with Colin Munro and Rassie van der Dussen in the past, and I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with them and other international players such as Wayne Parnell," he added.
Teenage sensation Aayan Khan, who continues to evolve his game from a reliable spinner into a genuine all-round threat, expressed his excitement at rejoining forces with one of his mentors.
"One of my favourite players is David Wiese, and it is nice to see we will be in the same squad again just like our days with Gulf Giants in the ILT20," Khan said.
The Anchors' roster is formidable, featuring the likes of West Indian powerhouse Andre Russell and New Zealander Martin Guptill. Khan sees the stint as a finishing school for his burgeoning batting skills.
"I am hoping to learn while trying to add to my skills as a hard-hitting batsman before we fly out in the first couple of days in June. As a spinner, I never worry about the weather and pitch conditions. I just focus on giving my 100% and backing my abilities."
The tournament structure ensures a high level of competition, with squads required to balance international icons with associate talent and domestic Belgian players.
While Siddique and Khan head to Antwerp, the Ghent Gladiators – coached by former England international Jonathan Trott – will provide a platform for Ajay Kumar and Khuzaima bin Tanveer.
Both could do well with sharing as many notes as possible from the more experienced Siddique, who shone for the UAE at the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup in India, and plays for Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20.
Aayan and Tanveer missed out on World Cup selection but are highly rated and touted as bright prospects.
The EUT20 Belgium will be primarily hosted at the Stars Arena in Zemst and it is early days. But the experience in a new land among a travelling caravan filled with international superstar cricketers will be a greatly enriching one.
For the UAE quartet, the 10-day stint offers more than just a tournament; it is a chance to prove their mettle from the world of Associate cricket member nations.
