Robin Singh says ILT20 is stage for UAE players to showcase their potential

The DP World International League Twenty20 is the biggest platform for the UAE players to showcase their talents and skills to the rest of the world, says Robin Singh.

The ILT20 is the first major franchise-run cricket tournament staged in the UAE and sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board. It's the first T20 league run by the board of an Associate nation and given the List A status by the International Cricket Council.

The ILT20's inaugural season was held last year and the second edition got under way on January 19 and will conclude on February 17.

Also, ahead of the second edition, the founding of the ILT20 Development tournament for local players and the ILT20 Schools Cup have given it a whole new meaning to UAE cricket.

As a milestone franchise tournament of the UAE, the ILT20 provides local players with a major boost as each team is given a budget of $2.5 million and the second season has seen some rule changes with the introduction of the Super Sub and the Wildcard entry.

The Wildcard rule allows teams the option to add two additional players to their 22-player roster at any stage of the tournament.

Singh, who was the UAE’s director of cricket for just over three years until March 2023, has a good understanding of the cricketing landscape in the country, which gives him an insight into the ILT20’s growth.

The former India all-rounder is now the head coach of MI Emirates. He says it will give UAE players a big boost to their careers on the international circuits.

“The competition will only get better as it progresses and provides the UAE players the opportunity to showcase their skills and talent in the international circuit,” Singh told The National during the MI Emirates training session at the Tolerance Oval,