Cricket

The upcoming third season of the International League T20 (ILT20) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to witness a star-studded lineup of T20 specialists making their debuts. Among them are New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman, West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope, Guyanese all-rounder Romario Shepherd, England opener Jason Roy, and Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran.Ferguson, who recently declined a national contract, has been signed by Desert Vipers. The Kiwi pacer has been in impressive T20 form, delivering four maidens in a T20I and taking ten wickets in seven games for Washington Freedom in the MLC. He will join left-arm quicks Mohammad Amir and Luke Wood at Vipers.Fakhar Zaman will also join Vipers, while Adam Milne will link up with Sharjah Warriors. Milne will reunite with New Zealand teammate Tim Seifert, who has also turned down a domestic contract to pursue franchise T20 opportunities.Dubai Capitals have signed Hope, who made his IPL debut earlier this year. The West Indian will captain the team in the absence of Imran Tahir. Former Australia batter Joe Burns and Sri Lankan slinger Garuka Sanketh are also among Capitals' new signings.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have welcomed Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who was part of Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL title-winning squad, and Terrance Hinds. Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran and Wahidullah Zadran have joined Gulf Giants.MI Emirates have signed Shepherd, who will reunite with Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. Italian batter Thomas Draca will also join the team.The third season of the ILT20 will be played from January 11 to February 9, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.

Former South African all-rounder JP Duminy has embarked on a new chapter in his cricketing career, taking on the role of head coach for the Sharjah Warriorz in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20). Duminy's appointment marks a significant milestone for the franchise, as he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team.Duminy's illustrious playing career spanned over a decade, during which he represented South Africa in both white-ball and red-ball formats. His exceptional batting skills and all-round abilities made him a formidable force on the international stage. After retiring from international cricket in 2019, Duminy continued to play in various T20 leagues around the world, including the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Indian Premier League (IPL), and Pakistan Super League (PSL).In addition to his playing experience, Duminy has also gained valuable coaching experience in recent years. He served as the batting coach for the South African domestic side Boland Rocks and later coached the Paarl Royals in the inaugural season of the SA20. His ability to nurture young talent and develop winning strategies has made him a highly sought-after coach.Upon his appointment as head coach of the Sharjah Warriorz, Duminy expressed his excitement and enthusiasm for the challenge ahead. "I am delighted to take up the challenge of being the head coach with the Sharjah Warriorz," he said. "This is an excellent set-up, which is vibrant and full of optimism and ideas for the upcoming season."Duminy's primary focus will be on building a strong and competitive squad for the ILT20. With his extensive knowledge of the T20 format and his ability to identify and develop talent, he is well-equipped to lead the Warriorz to success. The franchise has already secured the services of several top-class players, including Moeen Ali, Dawid Malan, and Wanindu Hasaranga, and Duminy will be tasked with creating a cohesive unit that can challenge for the title.The ILT20 is set to be a highly competitive tournament, featuring some of the world's best T20 players. Duminy's experience and leadership will be invaluable to the Sharjah Warriorz as they aim to make a mark in the inaugural edition of the league.

England's Test players are set to make a significant impact on the upcoming seasons of the ILT20 and SA20 leagues. After missing the second seasons of both tournaments due to their tour of India, several Test stars are now being targeted by franchises.Joe Root has already been unveiled as a new signing by Paarl Royals in the SA20, and ESPNcricinfo reports that other Test players have also attracted interest. The Telegraph claims that Ben Stokes, who has not played limited-overs cricket since the 2019 World Cup, has been offered a lucrative contract by MI Cape Town.England's managing director, Rob Key, has acknowledged that lucrative offers from franchise leagues have influenced the decision to award multi-year central contracts to players. With Stokes' England contract expiring in September, he could use similar offers as leverage.While England will play T20I and ODI series in India early next year, their winter Test tours to Pakistan and New Zealand will conclude before Christmas. This means that players not involved in those limited-overs squads will be available for the full seasons of the ILT20 or SA20.Root's availability for the SA20 is uncertain, as his England future in white-ball cricket remains unclear. However, he should be available for the majority of the tournament even if selected for the ODI series in India.The ILT20 and SA20 leagues, backed by Indian investors, have transformed the franchise landscape by offering substantial salaries to overseas players during the southern-hemisphere summer. Both leagues will run from mid-January to early February in 2025.Jamie Smith, who made his Test debut recently, has been retained by Gulf Giants in the ILT20 and was also targeted by Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. Like other young players such as Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope, Smith has aspirations to break into England's white-ball team but can rely on franchise cricket as a fallback option.Root's experience and versatility will be valuable for Paarl Royals, according to their global director of cricket, Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara praised Root's all-around abilities, including his bowling and fielding.

The International League T20 (ILT20) has announced the retention list for its third season, with 69 players being retained by their respective franchises. Defending champions MI Emirates have retained a strong core, including captain Nicholas Pooran, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have retained 11 players, including captain Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. David Willey, Charith Asalanka, Ali Khan, and Andries Gous are among the other notable retentions.Desert Vipers have retained a formidable squad, with Wanindu Hasaranga, Alex Hales, Azam Khan, and Mohammad Amir all being retained. However, fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Matheesha Pathirana are notable absentees.Dubai Capitals have retained captain David Warner, along with Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, and Jake Fraser-McGurk. England's Joe Root and Mark Wood have been left out.Gulf Giants have retained Shimron Hetmyer, captain James Vince, and USA's Saurabh Netravalkar. Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rehman has not been retained.Sharjah Warriors have retained eight players, including captain Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Kusal Mendis, and Johnson Charles.Each franchise has also retained two UAE players each, with no limit on international player retention. Teams can now sign new players in the ongoing player acquisition window, which will remain open until September 15.The third season of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played from January 11 to February 9, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.

The International League T20 (ILT20) is set to face scheduling conflicts with the Big Bash League (BBL) and potentially the SA20 in 2025. The ILT20, a five-team franchise-based tournament in the UAE, has announced its schedule for 2025, running from January 11 to February 9.The BBL's dates have not been officially announced, but it is expected to run until January 26. The SA20 is likely to start shortly after the New Year's Test between Pakistan and South Africa in Cape Town, which ends on January 7.Another potential overlap is South Africa's ODI series in Pakistan, scheduled for mid-February, as preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.The ILT20 may also clash with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), although the ILT20 has been more lucrative for top players. These scheduling conflicts have led to a high turnover of players in the ILT20, with teams signing players for specific windows as they move between competitions.The BBL experienced a mass exodus of overseas players for the finals series last season when the ILT20 began on January 19. However, some overseas players were able to play most of the regular season before leaving for the UAE. This will not be the case next summer for players contracted to the ILT20.The BBL hoped to mitigate potential clashes by having Australia's Test stars available after the Sydney Test against India on January 7. However, Australia has a two-Test tour of Sri Lanka scheduled for late January to early February, and it is understood that the Test players may only be available for three BBL games, if at all, depending on rest requirements after five Tests against India in seven weeks.The scheduling conflicts highlight the challenges of coordinating international cricket calendars, particularly with the proliferation of franchise-based leagues. It remains to be seen how the ILT20, BBL, and SA20 will adjust their schedules to avoid overlaps and ensure the availability of top players.

Noor Ahmad, the 19-year-old Afghanistan spinner, has been handed a 12-month ban by the UAE's International League T20 (ILT20) for breaching his player agreement with the Sharjah Warriors franchise. The ban stems from Noor's refusal to sign a retention notice offered by the Warriors ahead of the second season of the ILT20, opting instead to play in the South Africa's SA20 with the Durban Super Giants.The ILT20 disciplinary committee, comprising league CEO David White, head of security and anti-corruption Col Azam, and Emirates Cricket Board member Zayed Abbas, investigated the matter and heard the perspectives of both Noor and the Warriors before reaching their verdict. Initially, the committee recommended a 20-month ban for Noor, considering the severity of the breach. However, taking into account Noor's age at the time of signing the original agreement and his explanation that his agent had not fully informed him of the contract terms, the committee decided to reduce the ban to 12 months.Noor's ban marks the second such incident involving a Warriors player in recent months. In December 2022, Naveen-ul-Haq, another Afghanistan cricketer, was banned for 20 months by the ILT20 for a similar breach of contract. This effectively rules out both Noor and Naveen from participating in the ILT20 in 2024 and 2025.During his stint with the Warriors in the inaugural season of the ILT20, Noor featured in seven matches, claiming four wickets at an average of 37 and an economy rate of 7.04. His ban serves as a reminder to players of the importance of adhering to contractual obligations and the consequences of breaching such agreements.