ILT20 gets ready for ‘Crickmas Wonderland’ but not all rivalries will be full of festive cheer

New campaign starts on Tuesday with a repeat of last season’s fiery final between Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers

From left: Sharjah Warriors captain Tim Southee, MI Emirates skipper Kieron Pollard, Gulf Giants player Moeen Ali, Dubai Capitals' Gulbadin Naib, Desert Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders captain Jason Holder at the Dubai International Stadium. Chris Whiteoak / The NationalShow less

The organisers of the DP World International League T20 might have had to shift their new season from their preferred window because of its proximity to the T20 World Cup in February.

But the move to a December-January timeframe, starting on Tuesday night when Dubai Capitals play Desert Vipers in the tournament opener, has brought with it some very obvious benefits.

The matches will start during the National Day week. The back end of the season will also overlap with the Christmas and New Year period, as well as school holidays.

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They are well prepped. The fan park outside the stands at Dubai International Stadium has been transformed into a “Crickmas Wonderland”, complete with Christmas tree, decorations, and bunting.

The sense that it is the season of good cheer was accentuated as the leading players gathered together for the pre-tournament photocall on Monday.

Players who are so familiar with each other via the global T20 circuit were all pally again, patting each other on the knee, saying, “Oh, look, here we are again.”

Then Gulbadin Naib got on the microphone and fired the first shots of the new campaign.

He had just been asked about his fondest memories of last season. “Defeating Desert Vipers again and again,” the Afghan all-rounder said, and giggled away to himself.

Sat next to him was the Vipers captain, Lockie Ferguson, who initially looked shocked, then forced a smile through gritted teeth.

Last season had ended amid a large degree of spite, and Gulbadin had been central to it. In the final, Vipers players had mocked the Dubai Capitals all-rounder’s trademark bicep-flexing celebration.

They had been well set to win that fiery contest, before falling foul of one tiny detail: Rovman Powell was spared being given out stumped at a crucial stage of the game because Azam Khan, the Vipers wicketkeeper, had his gloves just in front of the stumps when he took the ball.

The game switched on that moment, the Capitals went on to take the title, and some opposing players had to be separated in the aftermath.

Memories of that will have lingered over the past 10 months. Tom Moody, the Vipers coach, played down the idea that his side will be driven by a desire for revenge in the opener against the Capitals. But he was speaking before Gulbadin’s latest jibe.

Ferguson missed that final through injury but is back fit now. He was sat on the dais at Dubai International Stadium for the photocall wearing the Vipers’ new colours of dark green.

That has been picked in reference to the franchise’s commitment to sustainability, but it has a dual purpose, too. The American-owned franchise have been able to hoover up Pakistani players to bolster their push for a first ILT20 title.

Their recruitment has included picking up Naseem Shah, the Pakistan fast-bowler, to compliment a pace attack that already includes the likes of Ferguson, plus the UAE breakout star Khuzaima Tanveer.

“I have played a lot against Naseem and I get very excited about guys who can bowl at 150kmh so it is great to have him on our side,” Ferguson said.

“He has got a lot of skills with the ball so I am sure he will have a lot of success in this tournament.

Desert Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“People talk about the fast-bowling community. In my experience, the people who have given me the most help along the way have been other fast bowlers – and it is not always team mates as well.

“I think there is a shared respect for the difficulty that comes with fast bowling but also the enjoyment factor to see fast bowlers do well.

“When I am working with young fast bowlers, regardless of whether I am playing with them, I will give them tips, I am always open to that – as other bowlers have been in my development phase.”

Ferguson was also full of praise for Khuzaima, a seam bowler who is one year away from qualifying to play for the UAE via the ICC’s residency criteria.

“Khuzaima is an exceptional bowler regardless of the level of cricket he is playing in and his ceiling is so high,” Ferguson said.

“He has got such great abilities and his mindset around fast bowling is fantastic too. He is one of those players that is keen to learn and he just soaks it all in. Not only does he listen to what the leaders say around him but he also implements it pretty quickly.”

With two spaces per starting XI reserved for UAE players, domestically based fast bowlers have been in demand.

While Khuzaima was retained by the Vipers, a number of others found their way back into the competition via the first ILT20 auction, some landing massive deals in the process.

Junaid Siddique will get $170,000 for this season with Sharjah Warriorz, while Mohammed Rohid returned to MI Emirates in a deal with $140,000.

“We look forward to seeing how he goes,” Kieron Pollard, the MI Emirates batter, said of Rohid. “He has been with us for a couple of years but now, with a price tag next to his name, that is where the pressure comes on for the individual.

“We try to play as team and not out-do each other, but do what is required to win a cricket match. Just as in the movies, there is a star and co-stars. Some days some guys are going to perform, on other days they will just need to play a supporting role.”