Participants in ILT20 are happy about the league
- To now, the ILT20 has not exactly been a spectacle, but all parties involved (players, franchise owners, sponsors, and broadcasters) are pleased with how things have developed. After nearly a week of play, the inaugural edition has already proven to be a huge success, with players saying that the United Arab Emirates couldn’t have picked a finer tournament to help develop the sport in the region.
- “While the franchises may not be thrilled with the visuals, they are unanimous in their approval of the overall business concept and structure. Unlike with other leagues that run at the same time, the owners in this competition can expect to break even “Abu Dhabi Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore believes the Knight Riders brand is expanding into more T20 competitions.
- People in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have been staying away in droves, but the event’s organizers and broadcasters remain confident in the quality of their product. “When the event returns to its home country of India, it is met with great success. More than one and a half million people watched the inaugural ceremony at the same time, where they saw performances by international celebrities. Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of the Knight Riders and a major star of Bollywood, “a representative from league broadcasters Zee TV said.
- Mubashir Usmani, the general secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board, promises that the best is yet to come. Fans at home and abroad will be treated to a feast of exciting cricket thanks to the high-quality broadcasting and production. The competition will heat up as clubs strive for a better standing in the league standings.
- The players from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who have been relatively unnoticed in the world of cricket until recently, consider this event as a much-needed opportunity to step into the spotlight. UAE batsman Muhammad Waseem of MI Emirates won man of the match honors in the league’s second game as he outplayed team mainstays like Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, and Dwayne Bravo with his batting. Sanchit Sharma, a local bowler, won the third match for the Adani-owned Gulf Giants.
- “It’s a new spin on franchise cricket, and it features some teams that have never played in a league before. It is headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, where numerous international, Asian, and Pakistani cricket tournaments are held. There is a big cricketing subculture in this area, and this competition is their first. It has nowhere to but up from here, “Tom Moody, leader of the Desert Vipers, puts it this way.
- Sharjah Warriors’ director R. Sridhar chimes in with this: “The quality of UAE talent has improved greatly as a result. Seeing and competing against seasoned veterans in this setting must have been eye-opening for them. Observing a similarly serious and disciplined atmosphere in the locker rooms will undoubtedly inspire them.”
- Officials from the Emirates Cricket Board have stated that they intend to invest league profits back into the sport and its players. However, they aim far higher. The ECB, boasting state-of-the-art facilities, has been trying to gain full membership in the ICC after hosting a number of international events. However, the regulations are structured in such a way that it is difficult for an associate member to become a full member unless they play against them frequently. Full members, however, have little time to spare for the Associates.
To become an Associate, one must, among other things, have recorded victories over
(a) one (1) Full Member team in the ICC Cricket World Cup, the ICC CWC Qualifier, the ICC World T20, and/or the ICC World T20 Qualifier; (b) one (1) Full Member team in the top ten of the official ICC ODI or T20I rankings (as applicable) at the time of the relevant victory;
and
(b) four (4) wins in one-day internationals and/or Twenty20 internationals against two (2) or more Full Member teams (ranked in the top ten of the official ICC ODI or T20I rankings (as applicable) at the time of the relevant victory); in both circumstances over the previous eight (8) years.
It’s tough to hit the mark if you don’t routinely compete against full members. A former bowling coach for the Indian team, Bharat Arun, is confident that his previous side would succeed. “The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a huge success for Indian cricket, and the International Twenty20 (ILT20) will do the same for sportsmen in the United Arab Emirates. They will learn and grow by observing and competing against the best players in the world “The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ leader has made this claim.
