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Tag: DP World International League T20

  • DP World ILT20 season three unveils new signings and retained players

    DP World ILT20 season three unveils new signings and retained players

    Mumbai: The DP World International League T20’s season three, to be broadcasted by Zee Entertainment, promises to be a high-octane cricket experience with the addition of the biggest names to the six franchises. The window to sign new players began in June and concluded on Sunday, 15 September.

    Season three of DP World ILT20 will feature international T20 stars like Jason Roy (Sharjah Warriors), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Shai Hope (Dubai Capitals), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriors), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants) and Romario Shepherd (MI Emirates) making their debut in the tournament. Fans will be treated to exciting action as these cricketers showcase their skills in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

    Some of the world’s most prominent cricket stars are slated to play in season three, including Australian powerhouse, David Warner and Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka. They will be joined by West Indian legends like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Rovman Powell, who will bring their dynamic all-round abilities to the tournament. The league will also feature some more talents from the previous seasons, including Sikandar Raza, Chris Jordan, James Vince, Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran. Other key retained players include, Kusal Mendis and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

    Commenting on the announcement, Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd chief growth officer – digital & broadcast revenue – Ashish Sehgal said, “Zee is delighted to unveil the impressive line-up for Season 3, featuring some of the world’s finest players. With iconic locations like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, world – class infrastructure and six powerhouse franchises, our aim is to build on the success of the last two seasons and solidify the league as one of the most-widely followed global cricket events. As it continues to attract international interest, we are excited to present this thrilling cricketing spectacle to fans across the world.”

    Other season three signings include New Zealand quick Adam Milne, seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert (New Zealand), Australia left-arm spinner Ashton Agar (Australia squad member – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024), Afghanistan all-rounder Karim Janat (Afghanistan squad member – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Gulf Giants season two) West Indies all-rounder Keemo Paul, Sri Lanka duo of Avishka Fernando and Bhanuka Rajapaksha (Dubai Capitals Season 1, MI Emirates season two), Australia all-rounder Daniel Sams (rehired for season three), USA left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh and Malaysian all-rounder Virandeep Singh.

    Meanwhile the teams can add more players or replacements to their squads upon clearance from the ILT20 Technical Committee. Teams can also add additional UAE players to their squads via a Draft which will take place after the conclusion of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament next month. Details of the tournament will be shared in the coming days.

    Cricket fans and sports enthusiasts in India and around the world can watch the live action exclusively on ZEE’s 15 linear TV channels, OTT platform ZEE5 and its syndicate partners’ TV and digital networks across the world. Aiming to capture a viewership of 230-million for the upcoming season, ZEE will expand its reach by including South Indian channels, offering a month-long cricket carnival experience.

    Earlier this year, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) reported that the league’s second season reached 221 million viewers. The channel’s extensive distribution strategy ensured widespread accessibility in India and across the globe.

    The six DP World ILT20 season three squads as of 19 September 2024:

    Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

    New signees: Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Hassan Khan, Roston Chase and Terrance Hinds.

    Retentions: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Ghous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Micheal Pepper and Sunil Narine.

    Desert Vipers

    New signees: Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Lockie Ferguson and Max Holden

    Retentions: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Micheal Jones, Muhammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga.

    Dubai Capitals

    New signees: Adam Rossington, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh, Gulbadin Naib, Jeffery Vandersay, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherly, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijin, Sharafuddin Ashraf and  Shai Hope.

    Retentions: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser McGurk and Oliver Stone.

    Gulf Giants

    New signees:  Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall, Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wahidullah Zadran.

    Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zohaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson and Shimron Hetmyer.

    MI Emirates

    New signees: Alzarri Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Farid Malik, Thomas Jack Draca, Ben Charlesworth.

    Retentions: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.

    Sharjah Warriors

    New signees: Adam Milne, Adil Rashid (played for Warriors in season two as a Wildcard pick), Ashton Agar, Banuka Rajapaksha, Gus Atkinson, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Jason Roy, Matthew Wade and Tim Seifert.

    Retentions: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Muhamad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

  • ZEE Entertainment scales up DP World ILT20 goals

    ZEE Entertainment scales up DP World ILT20 goals

    Mumbai: ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, content and entertainment powerhouse and the official broadcasting partner of the global cricket league, DP World International League T20 (ILT20), has unveiled its plans for an exciting third season, set to take place from 11 January 2025. The 34-match tournament will run for a month and culminate on 9 February 2025. The plans include creating a memorable month-long cricket carnival experience for cricket lovers, especially from India, expanding its viewership base by including South Indian channels and targeting 230 million viewership in the upcoming league. Cricket fans and sports enthusiasts in India and around the world can exclusively watch the LIVE action on ZEE Entertainment’s 15 linear channels as well as stream it for free on its OTT platform ZEE5, every evening.

    As the third season approaches, ZEE Entertainment promises to deliver captivating action engagingly and dynamically across its linear channels and OTT platform, ZEE5. Commenting upon this announcement, Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd chief growth officer – digital & broadcast revenue Ashish Sehgal said, “We aim to offer our cricket lovers a sporting carnival experience that combines high-class cricket at a comfortable, luxurious venue. This month-long event will offer an innovative and immersive experience for cricket fans across the globe. We are particularly focused on inviting Indian travellers to visit Dubai, offering them a chance to enjoy cricket in the UAE. This event also allows advertisers to connect with their premium customers and promote their premium brands.”

    Talking about the tournament known to be the second-most popular league outside of the Indian Premier League (IPL), DP World ILT20 CEO David White said, “Firstly, the uniqueness of the DP World ILT20 lies in the fact that we can have nine international players vis-à-vis the standard four. What also sets ILT20 apart from other leagues is that it does not have a home-and-away format. With three venues – Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi every team feels at home. We need to cultivate strong team loyalty now.  The UAE as a destination boasts of fantastic stadiums, ideal weather in the early part of the year and a comfortable environment for players. The Emirati people are renowned for their warm hospitality, welcoming visitors from around the world. The presence of top players from international teams lends an international flavour to the event. We are working closely with ZEE to establish Dubai as a premier sporting destination and are open to considering an alternative window to make sure that there is no clash in the future.”

    DP World ILT20, in its second season, drew an impressive 200,000 attendees across over 30 games. The league is the second most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with a total of 348 million unique viewers from around the world, including a staggering 221 million viewers from India. This success was fueled by ZEE Network’s broadcasting strategy, which leveraged a combination of ZEE’s 10 Linear TV Channels and its OTT Platform ZEE5. With a notable 46 per cent share of female viewership and 55 per cent share of youth viewership, the league’s broad appeal in India underscores its status as household entertainment.

    The tournament is aiming for an even larger audience in its third season, targeting 230 million viewers. The strategies being employed to increase its footprints are multifaceted, focusing on the Indian market, which includes cricket lovers, advertisers, and the addition of South Indian channels.

    The matches generated a massive response last season from markets like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra. This year the tournament’s on-air promotion will take place across 40 channels. DP World ILT20 Season 3 will also focus on South Indian channels as part of its strategy to expand viewership.

    The league plans to announce new signings next month on 15th September. The existing roster continues to be strong with the presence of players like Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, David Warner, Jack Fraser McGurk and Shimron Hetmyer, among others. The league, on the whole, boasts of 60,000 registered cricketers.

    The franchise-style tournament DP World IPL T20, comprises six teams and 34 matches that are played across the UAE. The league’s six franchise teams feature Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).