The DP World ILT20 is turning up the excitement for fans with a golden treat at the DP World ILT20 raffle. As part of the initiative, three lucky fans at each match take home a 6-gram gold coin, courtesy of Joyalukkas.

Purchased tickets will automatically double up as a raffle entry once scanned, with winners selected randomly during the match. So far, nine winners have emerged from the first three matches, adding an extra layer of thrill to the viewing experience.

With the month-long spectacle in full swing and gold coins up for grabs, cricket lovers have every reason to take part in the festivities.

Viewers have already been treated to high-octane action at the opening weekend of the DP World ILT20 Season 3, with two out of three matches going down the wire. The weekend also kicked off with a grand ceremony where Bollywood superstars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Sonam Bajwa set the stage ablaze with dazzling performances.

Notably, the DP World ILT20 ‘s six franchises feature some of the world’s finest cricketers, including Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), James Vince (Gulf Giants), Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Shimron Hetmyer (Gulf Giants), Phil Salt (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sharjah Warriorz), Sam Curran (Desert Vipers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Dubai Capitals), Tim David (Gulf Giants), Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates), Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), and Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants).

The DP World ILT20 launched in spectacular fashion at the Dubai International Stadium today. The star-studded trio of Bollywood superstars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Sonam Bajwa headlined a blockbuster opening ceremony as fans packed the iconic ‘Ring of Fire’ for the double-entertainment offer – opening ceremony and the tournament opener – for the region’s premier T20 tournament.

The festivities culminated in a stunning fireworks display signaling the start of the season. Bollywood actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani and popular host Ridhima Pathak kept the crowd engaged as emcees for the evening.

Following the opening ceremony, anticipation soared for the season opener that will see Dubai Capitals host defending champions, MI Emirates in a thrilling rematch of last year’s final. The opening ball of the season was bowled at 7:30pm local time with MI Emirates winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.

Audiences from around the world can catch the action live on the Zee Network and its syndication partners through both linear and digital platforms.

Zee Network’s most widely distributed and viewed 15 linear TV channels include: &Pictures SD, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema 2, Zee Action, Zee Biskope, Zee Zest SD, Zee Cinemalu HD, Zee Telugu HD, Zee Thirai, Zee Tamil HD, Zee Kannada HD, Zee Zest HD, &Flix SD and &Flix HD. The DP World ILT20 is also free to view on one of India’s leading OTT platforms – ZEE5.

Furthermore, fans can take advantage of an incredible offer for matchdays from Sunday, 12 January onwards—four tickets for just AED 40, available exclusively in the general category, and a final and limited release of tickets for fans, with 25% off on all Pavilion and Platinum tickets.

The month-long cricket fest will see some of the world’s finest cricketers in action, including Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), James Vince (Gulf Giants), Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Shimron Hetmyer (Gulf Giants), Phil Salt (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sharjah Warriorz), Sam Curran (Desert Vipers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Dubai Capitals), Tim David (Gulf Giants), Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates), Adil Rashid (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals), and Chris Jordan (Gulf Giants).

World soccer’s governing body, FIFA, has confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2034, while the 2030 tournament will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with special celebratory matches in three South American countries. The announcement was made on Wednesday by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following an extraordinary virtual Congress.

Both tournaments were awarded through uncontested bids and confirmed by acclamation. “We are bringing football to more countries, and the number of teams has not diluted the quality. It has actually enhanced opportunities,” said Infantino, highlighting the expanded global reach of the tournament.

The 2030 World Cup will be a landmark event, taking place across six nations and three continents. Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will serve as the primary hosts, while Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will hold celebratory matches to mark the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, hosted by Uruguay in 1930.

While Argentina and Spain have previously hosted the tournament, Uruguay will host again for the first time in a century. Portugal, Paraguay, and Morocco will join the World Cup’s history as first-time host nations.

In 2034, Saudi Arabia will become the second Middle Eastern nation to host the FIFA World Cup, following Qatar’s 2022 edition. This milestone further cements the region’s growing influence in the world of football.

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