Announcements

We’re on par with ICC elite panel standards: Simon Taufel on DP World ILT20 officiating excellence

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2025

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The DP World ILT20 continues to grow as the region’s premier tournament, not just for players but also for match officials. With the competition bringing together top-tier talent from around the world, ensuring high-quality officiating is just as crucial as the performances on the field. Australian umpire Simon Taufel, a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year, led the DP World ILT20 Season 3 match officials panel. Taufel has been instrumental in mentoring and guiding the officiating team with an aim of raising the standard of umpiring within the tournament.

Highlighting the significance of the DP World ILT20 and his role within, Taufel said, “This tournament is about growing cricket in the United Arab Emirates, and officiating is part of that objective. My role is to support the umpires, referees, and the officiating landscape here by helping create a pathway for their development and giving them access to international standards, just like the players.”

Officiating Standards at DP World ILT20

Ensuring high-quality officiating requires constant evaluation and benchmarking against global standards. Taufel provided insight into how the umpires have performed in the tournament, revealing impressive accuracy rates. “On average in this tournament, umpires have gotten 92% of their decisions right. Players only get their reviews right 22% of the time, while umpires make the correct initial decision 92% of the time. If you asked coaches and players whether they’d be happy with 9 out of 10 correct decisions, most would say yes. The ICC elite panel average is around 92-93%, which shows we are on par with that standard”, he concluded.

The Passion of UAE Officials

Match officials from the UAE, including the likes of Shiju Mannil, Akbar Khan, and Asif Iqbal played a crucial role in the tournament. Taufel was particularly impressed by their eagerness to develop their skills and adapt to the high standards of international officiating.

He said, “The passion of the officials here is like that across the subcontinent—they are incredibly enthusiastic and eager to learn. They aspire to officiate on television at the international level, and they are extremely coachable. One of our key efforts this year is to provide them with more resources to support their development. It requires significant investment and effort, particularly in performance management.”

Building on this, he explained the structured approach taken to ensure the progress and assessment of umpires, “We provide all our match officials with match-day reports for every game. I did 17 matches, and Roshan Mahanama also did 17. After each match, we compiled reports on the two on-field umpires and the third umpire—that’s a substantial amount of feedback and information.”

He further added, “We also created a development structure around the pre-tournament phase. We have a preparation day with the officials, covering playing regulations, interpretations, culture development, teamwork, and support on and off the field. It’s a lot of work, and most people don’t see that. But it’s what you do when no one is watching that makes you successful.”

The Role of Specialist TV Umpires and DRS

The DP World ILT20 has embraced the Decision Review System (DRS) to assist in ensuring accurate decision-making. For the second consecutive season, specialist TV umpires, including Paul Wilson and Leslie Reifer, were assigned to process reviews efficiently. Speaking on the significance of this role and the pressures that it brings on on-field umpires as well, Taufel remarked, “I think we all enjoy the theatre and drama of seeing a decision reviewed on the big screen. One of the key aspects we’ve introduced in this competition is specialist TV umpires who can process DRS reviews quickly and efficiently. For an umpire, having a decision dissected in front of thousands at the venue and millions watching at home can be an embarrassing experience. They have to process that instant feedback and refocus immediately, which requires immense mental strength. In fact, most of our game is mental, 99% of it.”

Related Topics:#announcements #cricket #dpworldilt20season3 #ilt20season3 #news #sports

Suhani Singh

As a trainee reporter and creative lead, I focus on curating engaging content and managing the social media presence for the company. I aim to connect audiences with relevant, impactful news through multiple digital platforms.

Announcements

MIRAL Joins 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 as official experience partner

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2 days ago

October 7, 2026

Sudhashree Dash

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Yas Island will become the official experiences partner of the Abu Dhabi T10 for its 2026 edition, under a new partnership between Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH) and Miral.

Under the agreement, all six Abu Dhabi T10 franchises will be based on Yas Island during the tournament, while a number of events linked to the competition will also be held across the destination.

The partnership will include the tournament’s Trophy Launch, Opening Party and Closing Party, with Yas Island’s attractions and venues forming part of the wider Abu Dhabi T10 experience for players, teams, partners and fans.

“We are thrilled to welcome Yas Island as the Official Experiences Partner of the 2026 Abu Dhabi T10,” said Matthew Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub and Abu Dhabi T10.

“The island is an unbelievable destination which will provide an exceptional setting for our teams, our players and for many of the tournament experiences.”

Leon Marsh, Miral’s director of events, said the partnership reflected a shared aim of creating experiences for “fans, teams and families alike”.

“Yas Island is the ideal setting for the key moments and flagship events taking place during this year’s Abu Dhabi T10,” he said.

The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 Draft, held at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, saw 108 players selected by six franchises: Arabian Aces, Emirates Eagles, Royal Desert Champions, UAE Bulls, United Tigers and Yas Lions.

The tournament will take place at Zayed Cricket Stadium from 7 to 20 November, bringing together international players for the 10-over competition.

The partnership is also intended to promote Abu Dhabi as a destination combining international sport, leisure and entertainment, with Yas Island providing the base for the teams throughout the tournament.

Announcements

Dubai-born HOP Events targets 25 cities in global expansion

Published

7 days ago

October 2, 2026

Staff Reporter

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A Dubai-founded events company is planning to expand into 25 cities worldwide over the next two years, as it looks to build an international business around music and culture.

HOP Events, founded by Dubai-based entrepreneur Kalpesh Kinariwala, said it aims to stage more than 250 events a year across 75 venues and arenas, reaching more than one million people annually.

Its planned expansion includes London, New York, Doha and Singapore, alongside its existing base in Dubai.

The company has organised concerts featuring artists including A.R. Rahman, Arijit Singh, Lucky Ali, Nancy Ajram, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and sitarist Rishab Sharma.

HOP now plans to broaden its programme beyond large-scale concerts, with storytelling, art and other cultural events forming part of its international expansion.

“Our goal has never been to build an events company,” Kinariwala said. “We’re building a platform where culture becomes a catalyst for connection.”

The plans were outlined after a recent Dubai event featuring storyteller Laksh Maheshwari.

HOP is the cultural arm of PANTHEON ACR, a Dubai-based venture founded by Kinariwala with interests spanning art, culture and real estate.

Kinariwala said Dubai’s position as a city with a large international population provided the starting point for HOP’s expansion.

The company said its programme over the next 24 months would feature both established international performers and emerging creative talent, alongside storytelling and other cultural experiences.

“The moments people carry with them for years are rarely the biggest,” Kinariwala said. “They are the moments that make us feel connected, inspired, understood or part of something larger than ourselves.”

Announcements

New-look Abu Dhabi T10 raises the stakes with star-studded 2026 draft; Naseem, Hales, Amir and Shanaka among top picks

Published

7 days ago

October 2, 2026

Sudhashree Dash

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The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 Player Draft saw a host of international stars find new homes ahead of the upcoming season, with Naseem Shah (Royal Desert Champions), Noor Ahmad (Emirates Eagles), Muhammad Amir (UAE Bulls), Alzarri Joseph (Arabian Aces), Dasun Shanaka (Yas Lions), Shadab Khan (UAE Bulls), Kusal Perera (Emirates Eagles) and Chris Jordan (Royal Desert Champions) among the headline names selected.

The Draft also saw several of the UAE’s leading players join the six franchises, underlining the growing depth of local talent in the reimagined Abu Dhabi T10. Alishan Sharafu (Arabian Aces), Aayan Afzal Khan (Royal Desert Champions), Muhammad Waseem (Royal Desert Champions), Haider Razzaq (Emirates Eagles), Muhammad Rohid (UAE Bulls), Ansh Tandon (Yas Lions) and Luqman Faisal (Emirates Eagles) were among the prominent UAE selections.

Awais Ali Shah (United Tigers), Dhruv Parashar (Royal Desert Champions), Harshit Kaushik (Emirates Eagles), Wali Muhammad (UAE Bulls), Adithya Shetty (United Tigers), Haider Ali (Yas Lions) and Vriitya Arvind (Arabian Aces) were also among those selected, further strengthening the UAE presence across the six squads.

The Arabian Aces will have plenty of experience and firepower in their ranks, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Billings and Imran Tahir among their notable draft selections. Alzarri Joseph, Richard Gleeson, Dwayne Pretorius and Dunith Wellalage add further bowling and all-round options to a squad that already featured Moeen Ali, Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone as pre-draft signings. The Aces also secured further local and emerging talent to complement their international core.

The Emirates Eagles’ batting stocks feature Alex Hales, KS Bharat, Hassan Nawaz and Kusal Perera, while David Wiese and Chris Green offer valuable all-round options. Noor Ahmad, Rehan Ahmed and Ali Raza further strengthen the bowling department, complementing pre-draft signings Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult.

The Royal Desert Champions assembled a formidable side led by the likes of Naseem Shah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera and Chris Jordan. Muhammad Waseem, Brandon King and Jayanth Liyanage add batting depth, while Gulbadin Naib and Keemo Paul provide all-round ability. The side already had Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt and Sherfane Rutherford on board as pre-draft signings.

The UAE Bulls have an abundance of power-hitting options through Andre Fletcher, Aneurin Donald, Khwaja Nafay, Max Bryan and Azam Khan, with Shadab Khan and Khushdil Shah offering all-round depth. Muhammad Amir and Nuwan Thushara add to the bowling attack, while the franchise had already secured Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Romario Shepherd before the Draft. Scotland’s Bradley Currie also joins the squad.

The United Tigers have established international experience with Azmatullah Omarzai, Odean Smith and Mahedi Hasan offering all-round options, while Abbas Afridi and Sufyan Moqim strengthen the bowling resources. The Tigers’ pre-draft haul comprised the Pakistani trio of Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf.

The Yas Lions have plenty of experience with James Vince, Dasun Shanaka, Tom Moores and Akeal Hosein among their notable selections. Eshan Malinga and Obed McCoy build their bowling strength, while the Lions had already secured Jason Holder, David Willey and Andries Gous before the Draft. Netherlands’ Aryan Dutt also joins the squad as their Associate Member selection.

Arabian Aces: Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Arfan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Richard Gleeson, Sam Billings, Paul Walter, Alzarri Joseph, Imran Tahir, Salman Irshad, Quentin Sampson, Dwaine Pretorius, Vriitya Arvind, Ibrahim Masood, Amshi De Silva, Dunith Wellalage

Emirates Eagles: Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult, Haider Razzaq, Luqman Faisal, David Wiese, Noor Ahmad, Alex Hales, KS Bharat, Akif Javed, Hassan Nawaz, Rehan Ahmed, Ali Raza, Chris Green, Harshit Kaushik, Hilal Afghan, Toby Albert, Kusal Perera

Royal Desert Champions: Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt, Sherfane Rutherford, Ali Naseer, Aayan Afzal Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Naseem Shah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Luke Wood, Gulbadin Naib, Brandon King, Janith Liyanage, Keemo Paul, Dhruv Parashar, Raizal Nadir, Tajinder Singh Dhillon, Chris Jordan

UAE Bulls: Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Romario Shepherd, Muhammad Rohid, Tahir Zaman, Aneurin Donald, Muhammad Amir, Andre Fletcher, Khwaja Nafay, Nuwan Thushara, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Max Bryant, Azam Khan, Wali Muhammad, Uddish Suri, Bradley Currie, Shadab Khan

United Tigers: Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Zeeshan Naseer, Awais Ali Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sufyan Moqim, Abbas Afridi, Odean Smith, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Noor ul Rahman, Shamim Hossain, Adithya Shetty, Noor Ullah Ayubi, Paul van Meekeren, Yasin Patel

Yas Lions: Jason Holder, David Willey, Andries Gous, Ajay Kumar, Ansh Tandon, James Vince, Dasun Shanaka, Eshan Malinga, Karim Janat, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Tom Moores, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Obed McCoy, Kamil Pooran, Haider Ali, Masood Gurbaz, Aryan Dutt, Akeal Hosein