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ILT20: Franchise owners and players upbeat about the new league

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(Last Updated On: January 20, 2023)

It’s been almost a week since the maiden match in the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates and while stadiums haven’t as yet filled up, the stakeholders – players, franchise owners, sponsors and broadcasters alike – are happy with it so far.

Venky Mysore, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, part of the Knight Riders brand with a presence in various T20 leagues, said in an interview with Cricbuzz: “Optics may not be great but all the franchises are happy with the business model and how it is being organized.

“It is the only tournament where the owners will not suffer losses like other leagues happening simultaneously,” he said.

But without any major Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi participation, the crowds have been staying away. However, television audiences have been strong.
“The tournament has been doing very well back home in India. There were 1.5 million concurrent viewers for the opening ceremony in which some international stars performed. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of Knight Riders, was a huge hit,” says an official of Zee TV, the broadcasters of the league.

Emirates Cricket Board’s secretary general Mubashir Usmani told Cricbuzz the fun is yet to come. “The intensity of the competition will heat-up as the teams aim to position themselves at the top of the league’s table, the viewer at home and abroad, through the top-quality production and broadcast, is in for an absolute feast of engaging, thrilling cricketing action,” he said.

More than anything else, the tournament is being seen as a much-wanted initiative for the UAE players, who, otherwise unheralded in world cricket, are coming into their own.

In the second game of the league MI Emirates’ Muhammad Waseem, a UAE batsman, emerged as the player of the match for a batting performance that overshadowed stalwarts of his side like Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran and Dwayne Bravo. In the third game, local bowler Sanchit Sharma claimed the honors for the Adani-owned Gulf Giants, Cricbuzz reported.

“It is a unique league with a few teams new to franchise cricket. It is based in the UAE where a lot of cricket is played here, be it the ICC or Asian or Pakistan events. It is the first tournament of their own and there is a huge cricketing community here. It can only grow,” says Tom Moody, the head of the Desert Vipers side.

Afghan cricket fans can also tune in to watch this new league as Ariana Television is broadcasting each match live. For the full broadcast schedule CLICK HERE.

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Abu Muslim Farah FC thrashes Khurasan Faryab 6-0 in ACL match

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(Last Updated On: April 24, 2024)

Abu Muslim Farah FC thrashed Khurasan Faryab FC 6-0 in the 7th match of Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) in Kabul on Tuesday.

In the second game of the day – the 8th ACL match – Aino Mina FC beat Sarsabz Yashlar FC 4-0.

Suhrab Afghan from Abu Muslim Farah was top scorer with three goals, Amanullah Sardari scored two goals and Ahmad Khaled Majidi one goal.

Suhrab Afghan, who became the first ACL player to score three goals in one match, was named Man of the Match.

“The game was good and I was able to score three goals with the coordination of the team members,” he said after the match.

Abu Muslim Farah FC team is now sitting at the top of the table with a total of 8 goals so far.

In second position is Aino Mina FC with a total of seven goals.

Following their match against Sarsabz Yashlar FC, Ahnullah Darman was selected as Man of the Match.

“I am happy to represent the people of Kandahar in the Aino Mina team and bring happiness to my people, and I dedicate this victory and award to all the people of Kandahar, especially to my family,” said Darman after accepting the trophy.

Aino Mina FC’s goals were scored by Ahnullah Darman (2), Ahmad Nabi Moqadas (1), and Ramin Hamidi (1).

Head coach of Sarsabz Yashlar FC team shared his disappointment at the team’s loss and said he believes the reason for his team’s defeat is the lack of experienced players.

He said however, he hopes that they will shine in the upcoming matches.

Wednesday’s matches will see Sorkh Poshan Khafi take on Attack Energy FC at 1:00 PM, while Istiqlal Kabul FC face Mawj Sahil FC at 3:30 PM.

The matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television.

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‘Serious talent’ Fraser-McGurk bonds with Warner to light up IPL

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(Last Updated On: April 24, 2024)

Jake Fraser-McGurk went unsold at auction but the young Australian was snapped up by Delhi Capitals as an injury replacement and has become one of the stories of the current IPL.

The fearless 22-year-old batsman still has plenty to learn though and told AFP he is soaking up every bit of information he can from David Warner, his idol and now a team-mate in the Indian capital.

“Having him here and knowing him quite well, we have got a nice connection, got a beautiful friendship,” Fraser-McGurk said of the 37-year-old opener, one of Australia’s finest-ever batsmen.

Delhi head coach and Australia great Ricky Ponting this week described Fraser-McGurk as “a serious talent”, and there are flashes of the young Warner with his attacking approach and ease at which he hits sixes.

Last year Fraser-McGurk shattered AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest century in List A (50-over) matches, taking just 29 balls for South Australia.

None of the 10 IPL teams came in for him at December’s player auction so he joined Delhi as an injury replacement for South African paceman Lungi Ngidi — and has not looked back, AFP reported.

Fraser-McGurk’s 35-ball 55 on his debut brought instant fame in India, even if Australian cricket has long known about his potential.

“I met Davey a while back in the BBL,” said Fraser-McGurk, referring to the Big Bash League, Australia’s domestic Twenty20 tournament.

Fraser-McGurk cannot talk highly enough of Warner.

“When the talk is about the game, then you understand how much experience he has and what he’s done,” he said.

“He has time for everyone, he is very unselfish and does what his team needs.”

‘Serious talent’
Fraser-McGurk has played two one-day internationals for Australia this year, hitting an 18-ball 41 in his second ODI against the West Indies.

Despite that and his IPL form, which included a 15-ball half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Fraser-McGurk is not anticipating a call-up for the T20 World Cup in June in the United States and West Indies.

He admits he forgot that the World Cup was taking place almost straight after the IPL.

“Mitch Marsh was obviously with Delhi and he said we are going to Barbados and America and all that stuff,” said Fraser-McGurk.

“I was like, ‘Are you playing there?’ and he was like, ‘No, the World Cup’.

“Obviously it’s not on the forefront of my mind.”

Ponting expects Fraser-McGurk to have a bright international future, but cautioned: “So far he is not anywhere near the finished product yet.

“I would love to be able to spend more time with him one-on-one and work on his batting,” he added.

“I think he can be a three-format player for Australia.”

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Jaiswal ton powers Rajasthan to big IPL win

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(Last Updated On: April 23, 2024)

Yashasvi Jaiswal struck form with an unbeaten 104 as Rajasthan Royals consolidated their position at the top of the IPL table with a nine-wicket thrashing of Mumbai Indians on Monday.

Medium-pace bowler Sandeep Sharma took 5-18 to help restrict Mumbai to 179-9 after Yuzvendra Chahal claimed an IPL first of 200 wickets at Rajasthan’s home ground in Jaipur.

Jaiswal, a left-handed opener whose previous best this season was 39, steered the team home in 18.4 overs in an innings interrupted by rain, AFP reported.

“I really enjoyed from the start and I made sure I was watching the ball properly and playing proper cricketing shots,” said Jaiswal.

“I’m trying to do what I am doing well, some days it comes good and some days it doesn’t, I’m not thinking much.”

Rajasthan, who won the inaugural IPL in 2008 under late Australian hero Shane Warne, registered their seventh win in eight matches

Jaiswal struck his second IPL hundred – both versus Mumbai — as he smashed nine fours and seven sixes in his 60-ball knock and put on 109 runs with skipper Sanju Samson, who made 38.

Sharma set up victory, his first ever five-wicket haul in T20 cricket as he took the spotlight away from Chahal’s remarkable feat and was named man of the match, AFP reported.

Chahal sent back Mohammad Nabi caught and bowled for 23 with his leg-spin as he celebrated the achievement with hugs from teammates.

But Chahal was taken for 48 runs in four overs and Sharma stood out after he took three wickets in the 20th over including Tilak Varma, who top-scored with 65, and Tim David, who made three.

Chahal was substituted with Jos Buttler coming in as impact player and he began with two boundaries in the opening over by skipper Hardik Pandya, who played his landmark 100th IPL match.

Pandya has endured a tough time this season after he replaced veteran Rohit Sharma as skipper only to be booed by the fans across venues.

“After the game, it’s not the right time to go to the players, everyone is professional, they know their roles,” said Pandya.

“What we can do is learn from this game and the mistakes which we have made, rectify it and make sure that we don’t repeat it.”

The left-handed Jaiswal joined in the charge as he hit South African speedster Gerald Coetzee for a six and two fours to get the chase underway.

Rajasthan raced to 61-0 in six overs when rain stopped play and action resumed after 45 minutes.

Piyush Chawla bowled Buttler for 35 after the break but Jaiswal stood firm and in the company of Samson made the chase a cakewalk.

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