With two more teams than last year, a new host and some of the biggest names of the sport, the eighth edition of the annual, star-studded Emirates Twenty20 cricket tournament held in Dubai is expected to provide double the fun for fans visiting the ICC Academy this Thursday and Friday.
The tournament usually involves four teams, including two or three English county clubs, one or two UAE-based sides and a composite XI representing the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). This time around it will also feature two Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises.
PSL teams make their debut
Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars, two hugely popular teams from PSL, will be joining an MCC World XI and English county sides Lancashire Lightning, Birmingham Bears and Durham Jets for this year’s Emirates Twenty20. This will give fans an opportunity to get up-close with players such as England’s leading wicket-taker in international cricket James Anderson. His current and former England teammates Liam Plunket, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood and Ben Ducket are also likely to play.
Competitive edge
“Because of international commitments, I have not done too many pre-season tours,” said Anderson, who will be testing his shoulders here after being forced to return home early from the India tour due to injury. “We feel very fortunate to be out here and we are looking forward certainly to this tournament. Having that competitive edge to your pre-season is crucial and getting into the winning habit is important as well. So we are looking to get that this week.”
Perfect pre-season
“It’s fantastic for the Durham boys to be out here and up the pre-season ante,” said Collingwood, the Durham captain. “It’s something that we really enjoy being involved in and to get competitive cricket at this of the year is really important before we go into the season. “We have fantastic facilities out here and it’s great to be out here and getting the bodies and the minds ready for what is a long season.”
Qalandars on the road
“I am really excited to be a part of this event because Lahore Qalandars have the philosophy of focusing not just on three weeks of cricket in the PSL,” said Lahore Qalandar’s director of cricket Aaqib Javed, a former Pakistan international who has been a star attraction in these parts since the early 1990s. “I joined them last June and we have been on the road since then. We have had one of the biggest cricket trials ever. In 23 days, we tried out 113,000 kids across Punjab and then we took some of them to Australia and we played against Sydney Thunders and Sydney Sixers.”
Something for everyone
“The tournament provides something for everyone as well as avid cricket fans, with two action-packed days featuring six games of international cricket, VIP hospitality, family activities, entertainment, competitions and more,” said Matthew Jackson, the tournament director. “Cricket fans will also have the opportunity to meet their heroes through player meet-and-greets and signing sessions. We are very excited to host it at the ICC Academy for the first time and look forward to an exciting weekend ahead.”
Fun day for families
“The aim of the tournament has always been to engage as much as we can with the cricketing public in Dubai and in particular with the younger audience,” Jackson added. “So we will have more school coming to the event this year, more families than ever before. We feel the tournament has built that niche in the UAE where families can come and enjoy a day out at the cricket.”
Event info
What: Emirates Twenty20
When: Thursday and Friday
Where: ICC Academy, Dubai
Teams: Lancashire Lightning, Birmingham Bears, Durham Jets, Peshawar Zalmi, Lahore Qalandars and MCC World XI
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