New UAE franchised cricket league boosts sustainable development prospects

12.01.2023 - 12:51 arabnews.com

On Friday Jan. 13, after several years of delay beyond its control, the Emirates Cricket Board will launch its franchised T20 Tournament at Dubai International Stadium.

Titled the DP World ILT20, the tournament features six teams competing for a place in the final on Feb. 12. A few days prior to the opening match, I was able to conduct a question-and-answer session with ECB General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani, who is also an associate member representative on the International Cricket Council’s chief executives’ committee.

During the exchange, he outlined his hopes and aspirations for the tournament, for cricket in the UAE and for associate members in general. Jon Pike: One of the guiding principles of DP World ILT20 is that it provides a platform to develop local talent.

How will this be manifested? Mubashshir Usmani: At its heart, the DP World ILT20 is focused on a sustainable model for UAE Cricket — development and financial.

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