As Royal Champs continue their inaugural campaign in the Abu Dhabi T10, Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Shehzad says the franchise is focused on long-term building rather than short-term outcomes, with head coach Courtney Walsh playing a central role in keeping the squad motivated through a challenging debut season.

Shehzad, who has featured in more than 150 international matches across formats, said Walsh’s experience has been instrumental in helping the group remain grounded. “On paper, our team is very good, and our team is also good on the ground. Our efforts remain the same. Our coach and captain both motivate us,” he said. “In every team meeting, they focus on the small mistakes – where one moment could have changed the game. They do it to keep the team’s morale high. Otherwise, we can only try; the result is not in our hands.”

Franchise Looks to the Future

With Royal Champs entering the league as a new franchise, Shehzad said the project is designed to grow season by season. “It’s a new franchise team. It will take time, but it will get better year by year,” he noted. “Our management is good. We fulfil all the requirements of the team.”

The squad features established international names including Shakib Al Hassan, Jason Roy, Aaron Jones and Isuru Udana, giving the side a diverse mix of experience and styles. “We have players from all over the world. We all sit together and talk about the match. The team atmosphere is very good,” Shehzad said.

Abu Dhabi Feels Like Home

With the UAE having hosted several of Afghanistan’s training camps and international fixtures in recent years, Shehzad said playing in Abu Dhabi carries a sense of familiarity. “It’s an unbelievable place for sports. We used to have many camps here. This is like our home ground, so it feels good to return,” he said. “The atmosphere, the facilities – the academy, the stadium, the smaller grounds – I’ve been playing here for a long time. It really feels like home.”

Recovery Between Matches

With a tight schedule and games often less than a day apart, the team has prioritised recovery as a critical part of its preparation. “We have about 18–20 hours between matches in which we recover through swimming, physio, and exercise. After doing all that, we recover and come back ready,” he said.

As Royal Champs work to establish their identity in franchise cricket’s shortest format, Shehzad believes the team’s foundations are being laid with patience and purpose. “There is a lot of life left to travel,” he said with a smile when asked about exploring Abu Dhabi. For now, the focus remains firmly on the cricket – and on building something that lasts beyond one tournament.

Defending champions Dubai Capitals have named Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka as captain for Season 4 of the International League T20, backing his proven leadership and T20 experience on the global stage.

A former Sri Lanka captain and a reliable short-format performer, Shanaka has accumulated 1,659 runs and 41 wickets across 117 T20 matches. He was an integral part of the Capitals squad that lifted the Season 3 title and now steps into the captaincy role as the franchise eyes consecutive championships in the 2025–26 campaign.

The Capitals enter the season with a solid combination of international stars and emerging domestic players, with the franchise confident that Shanaka’s calm, composed style will steer them into another strong run.

“It’s a huge honour to lead Dubai Capitals,” Shanaka said. “The franchise has shown immense faith in me, and I’m excited to take on this responsibility. We have a balanced, hungry squad, and I’m confident we can play fearless cricket and make our fans proud this season.”

Head coach Hemang Badani added, “Dasun brings calmness, intent, and great game awareness. He leads by example, and the boys respond to that energy. With the squad we’ve built and the mindset we carry, we’re ready for a strong ILT20 campaign.”

Season 4 of the ILT20 begins this December in the UAE, with the Dubai Capitals kicking off their campaign against the Desert Vipers on Tuesday, December 2.

Piyush Chawla turned back the clock on Tuesday night, producing a brilliant 3/11 to power the Ajman Titans to a convincing 34-run win over the Vista Riders at the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10. The result lifts the Titans to second place on the points table, swapping spots with the Riders.

Batting first, the Titans posted 105/7, a total built around Alex Hales’ steady 35 off 21 and Dan Lawrence’s lively 22 off 13. The pair stitched together a crucial 42-run stand off just 26 balls after the innings wobbled early due to Andrew Tye’s sharp spell of 2/25.

Awais Ahmad (2/15) and Dhananjaya Lakshan (2/18) hit back for the Riders, but Chris Green’s late cameo, 11 off 5, including 14 runs in the final over, ensured Ajman finished with a competitive score.

The Riders began the chase brightly thanks to Unmukt Chand, who cracked three consecutive fours off Wasim Akram in the opening over. But the momentum shifted quickly.

Akif Javed (2/16) struck the big blow by removing Faf du Plessis in the second over, before Chawla took over.

The veteran spinner dismissed Chand in the third over, then returned to clean up Ansh Tandon (8 off 11) and Sean Dickson (7 off 13) in the seventh, breaking the Riders’ backbone and leaving them no room to recover.

Vista Riders eventually crawled to 71/7, the lowest total of the 2025 season so far, sealing their second defeat.

Gurbaz and Rutherford power Aspin Stallions to massive 134/2

In the night’s second fixture, the Aspin Stallions unleashed fireworks of their own, smashing 134/2 in just 10 overs against the Deccan Gladiators, the highest score of the evening.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz led the charge with a blistering 48 off 24, peppered with six fours and two sixes. His opening stand with Andre Fletcher (10 off 11) was worth 44 runs in the first four overs before Noor Ahmad (2/19) broke through.

But any hopes of slowing the Stallions died quickly.
Sherfane Rutherford exploded late with a roaring 48 off 18, hammering seven fours and two sixes. Ben Cutting added a rapid 15 off 7, including a towering six.

The final over alone leaked 22 runs and three sixes, sending the Stallions to a formidable total.

(At the time of this release, only the first innings of the match was completed.)