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What IPL has done in India, T10 is doing for UAE Cricket: South African legend Lance Klusener

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2 years ago

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Zeeshan Naseer, Muhammad Rohid, Rohaan Mustafa are just some of the UAE players who have made a name for themselves in the Abu Dhabi T10 cricket. Over the years, cricket’s fastest format has given numerous exciting talents to the nation who have gone on to make an impact in international cricket. The surge of local talent coming up in UAE cricket over the past few years has given a clear signal to the cricketing world to be wary of a rising cricketing power.

South Africa cricketing legend Lance Klusener believes Abu Dhabi T10 has made as much an impact on the UAE cricket as IPL has made at the grassroots level in India, especially with the rule of all teams mandated to have two UAE players in the playing XI. His own team is being led by Mustafa as the Captain, a player from UAE himself. 

“It’s a wonderful initiative that we have two UAE players on the ground at all times. It’s a standard rule in franchise cricket, but it is a great and wonderful opportunity for these guys. We see people grow up and add more value to UAE cricket, in the end. Pretty similar to what IPL has done for Indian cricket, I think T10 is slightly different, but it is still identifying talent,” Klusener said.

The former batting allrounder, who garnered a reputation for his fast-paced playing style during his cricketing days is the Head Coach of Morrisville Samp Army. Under his guidance, Samp Army have enjoyed a tremendous season, winning 7 out of their 6 games, and ensuring a spot in the top two positions in the table in the round-robin stage.

“The season has been wonderful for Morrisville Samp Army so far. Job done in terms of qualifying and job done in terms of qualifying among the top two positions. That’s good for us. Give us a slightly easy opportunity later on. We are excited about that. We just have to make sure that we have a good think and little regroup and meeting before we go into the playoffs,” the former Proteas skipper said.

Klusener, in his historic career, was known for fast-paced running between the wickets, and brought the dynamism and style with his intense batting methods to the pitch. Much like his fellow teammate Jonty Rhodes, the left-handed batter was also known for his quick work on the field, and garnered a massive fan following for his unique style of the sport. Hence, it comes as a little surprise that the 53-year-old enjoys the fast-paced nature of the T10 format, and is now into his third year as a coach in the league for Morrisville.

“The T10 fits the kind of cricket I used to play back in the day. It is nice to be involved in terms of coaching and working with some of the top players in the world. I am just excited about being here and working with the best players in the field,” he said.

But to this day, Klusener stresses more on fielding and running between the wickets, rather than focusing on scoring boundaries.

“It’s a big thing for us that we try and make sure we get into position to compete for as many catches or fielding as possible. The basics of cricket still apply even in T10. The running between the wickets, ones and twos, they all add up and we know that in T10 cricket, 90 percent of the game comes down to last overs, so it plays a huge part. In our team talks, we do not talk about boundaries, but we talk about we take ones and twos and we add them as much as possible,” he opened up on his coaching philosophy.

T10 has gone global over the past two years with editions happening across Zimbabwe, USA, and Abu Dhabi. The format will also take over Sri Lanka in the next month with the inaugural season of Lanka T10 between December 11th to December 18th in Pallekele. Does the format have a space in South Africa as well?

“I think T10 is a format that can easily grow. There is not much space in the world calendar at the moment. but it would be nice to see it go to South Africa, after it has already been to Zimbabwe,” Klusener said.

Among cricket fans, Klusener is always remembered for one of the most memorable cricket matches in history – the 1999 World Cup Semifinal against Australia. The game went right down to the last ball, thanks to a tremendous power hitting from the then captain, Klusener, who scored an unbeaten 31 off 16 balls and almost took his side home. The match ended in a draw, allowing Australia to qualify on Net Run Rate.

Even after over two decades later, the match is still remembered fondly among cricket fans and Klusener himself, as well.

“I remember that match – what a wonderful game to be part of. You cannot always control the end of the result. It would have been nice to get home. There were a lot of ‘ifs and buts’ in that game. But what a memorable game and it is a match that many people still talk about around the world. Even though we did not get the result, it was still a great game to be a part of,” he signed off.

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Mike Fordham appointed International League T20’s Interim Chief Operating Officer

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9 hours ago

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September 9, 2026

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The International League T20 Management has appointed Mike Fordham as Interim Chief Operating Officer. Fordham has been the league’s Head of Operations since the inception of the tournament – 2022.

Fordham has taken over the role with immediate effect and will spearhead the execution of DP World ILT20 Season 5, which will be played in November-December this year. In a career spanning two decades, Fordham has accumulated rich experience – specialising in sporting, governance and commercial set-up of new leagues, competitions and franchises.

Interim Chief Operating Officer DP World ILT20 Mike Fordham: “It is a real honour to have been given the task to spearhead the DP World ILT20 Season 5 execution. The DP World ILT20 has grown into one of the top T20 tournaments. The league is known for top-class cricketing action at three world-class venues.

“This year’s edition will be bigger and better. We are all excited about the upcoming DP World ILT20 Development Tournament – an incredible platform for young UAE players to make a claim for the main event later in the year. Some of the biggest T20 stars have signed up for the DP World ILT20 Player Auction which further exemplifies the league’s stature and reputation as a competition that attracts the very best in the business.”

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News

Italia T10 eyes GCC as new Italian franchise cricket league builds global ambitions

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1 week ago

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September 1, 2026

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Italy is about to get its own city-based franchise cricket league, and organisers are looking to the Middle East to help take it global.

Italia T10 Cricket will make its debut in Rome from November 7 to 15, 2026, with six city-based teams set to compete in the fast-paced 10-over format.

And while the league is being built around Italian cricket, its ambitions stretch well beyond Italy.

With three of the six franchises already secured, organisers are now turning their attention to the Middle East, hoping to build links with the region’s growing cricket community and attract stakeholders from across the GCC.

The league has been officially endorsed by the Italian Cricket Federation, with the organisers describing the competition as Italy’s first city-based franchise T10 league.

Why is Italy turning to the Middle East?

Cricket may not be one of Italy’s traditional mainstream sports, but the game has been steadily expanding across Europe, and the Middle East has become a major hub for international and franchise cricket.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain all have established cricket communities, creating a sizeable pool of players, fans and potential investors.

Aamir Akhtar, chairman of Apex T10 Ltd, said the response to the league’s announcement had been “phenomenal” and that the organisers were keen to bring the Middle East into the project.

For Akhtar, the connection is also personal. The former Nepal international played at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2000 before representing Nepal at senior level.

He now wants to use franchise cricket to create more opportunities in emerging cricket markets.

What exactly is Italia T10?

The clue is in the name.

Each match will feature 10 overs per side, with games expected to last around 90 minutes.

That makes T10 one of cricket’s shortest and most explosive formats — designed to pack plenty of action into a compact viewing window.

The inaugural tournament will be played entirely in Rome, with six franchises competing across nine days.

The league also says its matches will be streamed live in more than 30 countries, giving the new competition an international audience from its very first season.

Could the Middle East become part of the league?

That’s one of the bigger questions surrounding the project.

Organisers say they see the Middle East as more than simply a commercial market. They want to build a cricketing bridge between Europe and the GCC, potentially bringing regional stakeholders, players and cricket communities into the Italia T10 ecosystem.

Nadeem Shahid, CEO of Apex T10 Ltd, said the league has an Italian foundation but an international outlook.

The company behind Italia T10 was founded by Shahid and Akhtar with the aim of developing cricket in associate territories through professionally run franchise competitions.

Why now?

The timing could hardly be more interesting for global cricket.

The sport is preparing to return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028, putting renewed focus on expanding cricket beyond its traditional strongholds.

Italia T10 hopes to play a small part in that expansion by raising the profile of cricket in Italy, creating more opportunities for local players and clubs and connecting Italian cricket with the international game.

With half of its franchises still to be secured and the first season only months away, the next phase will be worth watching.

Italy has the league. Rome has the stage. Now organisers want the Middle East to become part of the story.

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Entertainment

Emirates Dubai 7s 2026: Tickets on sale as festival returns with bigger family zone

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1 week ago

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August 31, 2026

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Emirates Dubai 7s is returning to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29, with tickets now on sale for the three-day sports and entertainment festival.

The 2026 edition will bring together international rugby, amateur sports, live music and family entertainment, with organisers promising a bigger programme than previous years.

The festival attracted more than 88,000 visitors in 2025 and will again take place during the final weekend of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Ticket prices

Ticket prices for General Admission and Hospitality have stayed the same for a third consecutive year.

Three-day General Admission tickets cost Dh595 per person, while the three-day Family Pass is Dh1,136 for two adults and two children.

Other ticket options

  • Group pass: Dh446 per person for four or more adults
  • Saturday or Sunday: Dh455
  • Friday: Dh75
  • Under 15s: Free
  • People of Determination + carer: Dh375

Tickets can be purchased through the Emirates Dubai 7s website and app.

Bigger family attractions

Family entertainment will get a major boost this year as the UAE celebrates the Year of the Family.

The festival will feature its biggest-ever Kids’ Zone, including the UAE’s largest inflatable kids’ zone, along with a Ferris wheel and zipline. More attractions are expected to be announced ahead of the event.

Six sports and top rugby action

Alongside elite rugby, visitors can watch or take part in competitions across six sports — rugby, netball, cricket, WODON3 fitness, Rebound padel and Gaelic Football.

Gaelic Football will join the festival for the first time in 2026.

The Sevens Stadium will also host the opening round of the HSBC SVNS Series 2027, bringing the world’s leading rugby sevens players to Dubai.

The WODON3 Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches, with competitors potentially performing in front of crowds of up to 20,000.

Music all weekend

Live entertainment will run throughout the festival, with local and international artists performing across three days.

Last year’s line-up included Tinie Tempah, Sean Paul and Fisher, while the 2026 headline acts will be announced later.

For a premium experience, The Sunroom returns with all-inclusive food and drinks, shaded seating, prime sporting views and dedicated access. Packages start from Dh1,925 per person.

With sport, music and family attractions packed into one weekend, Emirates Dubai 7s is gearing up for another big Dubai event.

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