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ILT20 2024: All you need to know
The much-awaited cash-rich International League T20 (ILT20) gets underway on Friday in the United Arab Emirates and will run through to February 17.
Matches, 34 in total, will be played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
There are six teams and many have links to IPL teams. The teams are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriors.
The six teams will compete in a double round-robin format between January 19 and February 11, with two points available for a win and one point for a tie.
The top four teams will then move into the playoffs (February 13 – February 17), with the first and second-placed teams competing for direct entry to the final. The loser of that clash will face the winner of the eliminator (third versus fourth) for a spot in the trophy showdown.
This year’s tournament overlaps with two other leagues, namely Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) and South Africa’s SA20. However, with lucrative contracts on offer, the ILT20 has attracted a strong array of quality foreign players.
The squads are as follows:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Brandon McMullen, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Jake Lintott, Joe Clarke, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Marchant de Lange, Matiullah Khan, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara, Sabir Ali, Sam Hain, Sunil Narine, Imad Wasim
Desert Vipers
Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Michael Jones, Rohan Mustafa, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran, Wanindu Hasaranga, Nathan Sowter, Dan Lawrence
Dubai Capitals
Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Joe Root, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Nuwan Thushara, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Raja Akif, Roman Powell, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza
Gulf Giants
Aayan Afzal Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Dominic Drakes, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Karim Janat, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Sanchit Sharma, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shimon Hetmyer
MI Emirates
Akeal Hosein, Ambati Rayudu, Andre Fletcher, Corey Anderson, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran (c), Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Trent Boult, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Waqar Salamkheil, Will Smeed, Zahoor Khan
Sharjah Warriors
Chris Sole, Chris Woakes, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madushanka, James Fuller, Joe Denly, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Mahesh Theekshana, Mark Deyal, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Muhammad Jawadullah, Qais Ahmad, Sean Williams, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Match schedule
Ariana Television Network has once again secured live and exclusive rights to broadcast this exciting tournament in Afghanistan.
Friday’s opening match will start at 7pm Kabul time, but tune in live on Ariana Television from 6pm for the pre-match program.
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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.
During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.
Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.
Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.
He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.
Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.
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