Sport
ILT20: Franchise owners and players upbeat about the new league
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.
Afghanistan’s national cricket team defeated Ireland by six wickets in the fifth and final match of the ODI series, securing victory and clinching the five-match series.
Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and elected to bowl first.
Rahmat Shah scored 143 runs off 133 balls, while Sediqullah Atal scored 98 runs off 112 balls.
Ireland set Afghanistan a target of 300 runs after scoring 299 for seven in 50 overs. Afghanistan chased down the target in 48.5 overs, losing four wickets.
Afghanistan had already won three other matches in the series, while the first match was abandoned due to rain.
For cricket fans across Afghanistan, Ariana Television Network (ATN) broadcast the five-match ODI series live.
Sport
Afghanistan clinch Ireland series with record ODI score
The victory gives Afghanistan an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
Afghanistan sealed the five-match ODI series against Ireland with a game to spare after posting their highest-ever ODI total and beating the hosts by 42 runs in Belfast on Wednesday.
Batting first after Ireland won the toss, Afghanistan posted their highest-ever ODI total of 343 for nine in 50 overs. The innings was built around a brilliant 231-run partnership between Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran.
Atal produced the standout performance, smashing a career-best 143 from 120 balls, including 17 fours and four sixes. Zadran followed with 107 off 118 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six. Their partnership laid the foundation for Afghanistan’s record total.
Ireland faced a difficult chase but received a strong response from Andrew Balbirnie, who scored 109. Curtis Campher also kept the hosts’ hopes alive with an aggressive 84 from just 46 balls. However, Afghanistan’s bowlers maintained control and bowled Ireland out for 301 in 48 overs.
Yamin Ahmadzai was Afghanistan’s leading bowler with four wickets for 71 runs, while Rashid Khan continued his impressive series with three wickets for 49 runs. Rashid has now taken 12 wickets in the series.
The victory gives Afghanistan an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. The opening ODI was washed out, while Afghanistan won the second match by 92 runs and the third by three wickets.
The fifth and final ODI will be played at Stormont on Saturday.
Fans can watch the match live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.
Shamshad Eagles defeated Speenghar Warriors by six wickets in the sixth match of the Kabul Premier League at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul on Tuesday.
Speenghar Warriors, who won the toss and elected to bat first, posted their total, of 143, before Shamshad Eagles produced a confident chase.
The Eagles reached the target with four balls remaining, securing a six-wicket victory and moving strongly in the Kabul Premier League standings.
Mohammad Shahzad was the standout performer for Shamshad Eagles and was named Player of the Match for his contribution to the Eagles’ successful run chase.
The result gives Shamshad Eagles valuable points as the tournament continues in Kabul.
The Kabul Premier League features six teams, with the tournament providing a platform for Afghanistan’s domestic players to showcase their talent.
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