The United Arab Emirates had already established itself as the center of international sport, during and after the pandemic. Formula 1, UFC, FIFA Club World Cup, World Tennis League are just some of the major sporting events with a strong connection in the UAE.
Emirates is also at the forefront of one of the most profitable products – exclusive cricket. The Indian Premier League has been held in the UAE several times, and so has the Pakistan Super League, while T10 cricket flourished here before it morphed into the successful Abu Dhabi T10.
And now, the UAE will have its own high-profile cricket tournament – the International T20 League.
The tournament will begin on January 13, which will mark the launch of the first franchise T20 league in the UAE. A total of six teams will compete in 34 matches over the course of a month.
Three of the six team owners are affiliated with the IPL – Knight Riders Group, GMR and Mumbai Indians – bringing a wealth of franchise cricket experience to the tournament.
West Indies batsman Evin Lewis, who will play for Sharjah Warriors, is among a number of star names – such as Andre Russell, Moeen Ali and Alex Hales – who will take part in what is being billed as the league of the second biggest T20 after the IPL, in terms of player pool, salaries and origin of the franchise.
Lewis, 30, has become a veteran of the T20 circuit, like many of his Caribbean teammates. He will be hoping to make a fresh start in 2023 after a disappointing outing in the T20 World Cup in Australia.
There, two-time champions West Indies crashed out at the opening stage, failing to make it to the Super 12s. For Lewis, the disappointment of the tournament did not linger as he quickly returned to action during the Abu Dhabi T10 in November. ILT20 is his next assignment.
This continuous feed of franchise cricket is a boon to many players, who get a chance to move on quickly and focus on their game, rather than dwelling on frustrations.
“She [T20 World Cup] it’s something i want to forget. I don’t want to dwell too much on the past. It was my first time in Australia. I don’t want to beat myself up too much about it,” Lewis said national team.
The left-handed batsman, who has two centuries in T20 internationals, believes franchise cricket offers players a chance to work on their game with more freedom and through better interactions with coaches and support staff.
“It helps. The amount of franchise cricket we have these days, sometimes you can be out of form for a month or two. You just jump back into cricket and get back into shape and keep scoring runs.
“In terms of international cricket, there is more pressure. Franchise cricket is more relaxed. You get the most out of the coaches, the other players. Everything is much easier when you play exclusive cricket.”
There is already one positive awaiting Lewis when he plays for the Warriors – his home base will be the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The Trinidad and Tobago batsman knows he will get to play some beauties during the ILT20 and get some confidence under his belt.
“Having your home base in Sharjah is good. The space is good and the land is not big. I’m actually looking forward to it.”
The rise of franchise cricket also means that players’ priorities and lifestyles have changed. Players put a lot of emphasis on making themselves available for tournaments like Abu Dhabi T10, ILT20, PSL, IPL, among others.
This makes the UAE a great place to set up camp, making it easier to travel to cricket grounds in the UAE, the subcontinent and the UK.
“I did not give it [setting up base in UAE] a thought. But now, I’ll think about it, though.”
The ILT20 will be played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with the final on February 12.
Updated: December 21, 2022, 12:07 p.m
