ILT20 2023: Moeen Ali wants to see bright future for UAE with the start of new league

Dubai, January 12: The inaugural International League T20 is all set to make a grand debut at the ‘Ring of Fire’ Dubai International Stadium starting January 13 following a glittering opening ceremony. 

The captains in the UAE’s six-team tournament, the second-richest in world cricket after the Indian Premier League, addressed the media on the eve of the tournament with Moeen Ali, the leader of Sharjah Warriors, making a pertinent point on what the league means for domestic players.

“As captains, it is not just our job to lead but also guide the youngsters so they can go on to play on the big stage and establish a brilliant international side in the next 5-10 years. If we can produce future stars, our job in the league is done,” said Moeen, who has played a lot of cricket in the UAE and recently led Morrisville Samp Army to the T10 League play-offs and eventually third place.

The league will comprise 34 matches in total on a home-and-away basis until the knockout stages with two teams in Abu Dhabi, three based in Dubai and Sharjah Warriors representing the emirate further up north in the UAE typography.

We would like to play good cricket, says Moeen Ali

Asked by emcee Ian Bishop on what can fans expect from their local team apart from becoming the first winners of the league, the quick-witted ‘Moe’ had the last word among the captains: “We would like to play good cricket and provide some nice entertainment to the fans, but more importantly, we want Sharjah to be the loudest ground in the ILT20.”

“The league is starting and it is important to keep this growing, the cricket on the field has to be exciting and entertaining so we can inspire the next generation of cricketers.”

Sharjah Warriors will play their first two matches away in Abu Dhabi and Dubai against MI Emirates and Desert Vipers respectively before taking on MI Emirates again as hosts at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The opening ceremony of the DP World ILT20 will have the electrifying Badshah and Derulo performances performing at 5:15 pm GST, followed by the first match of the league between Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at 6.45 pm.

Fans can enjoy the glittering performance and the high-octane opening match from as little as AED22. Enticing ‘Friends and Family’ packages are on offer for an incredible AED60 - for two adults and two children, and AED80 for a group of four. More information about these packages and to purchase tickets can be found by visiting https://tickets.ilt20.ae. 

The franchise teams, comprising over 100 International and 24 UAE-based players, are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).