England’s Morgan feels fast pace of game Abu Dhabi T10’s USP

England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan and former India speedster Zaheer Khan were on hand as official ambassadors for the Abu Dhabi T10, which is set to kick off from Nov.14 to 24 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in the UAE capital.

Morgan spoke of the shift in perception with the new deal and the move to Abu Dhabi: “More people are watching because it’s a faster game and we’re playing in a city that loves to do things big.

“Big stars, big audiences, big action on the pitch. And players love playing in Abu Dhabi because it represents an audience that loves one-of-a-kind entertainments. That’s T10 in a nutshell.”

The star-studded line-up of international cricket talent shines a light on the game’s global appeal, with the likes of Australian icons Shane Watson and Cameron White, West Indians Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo; Sri Lankan duo Angelo Matthews and pacer Lasith Malinga; and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad and Rashid Khan all set to participate in November.

Meanwhile, with the advent of league cricket across the globe, more and more organisers have been yearning to have Indian players ply their trade in these leagues.

While Yuvraj Singh was allowed permission to play in the Canada T20 league, now Zaheer is set to play in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The team he goes on to represent will be known only after the player draft.

The former India pacer said that it is for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to decide on whether to allow Indian players to play in the different leagues across the globe. But he went on to add that it would be great to have Indian players in the leagues as that would also help youngsters learn from the experienced campaigners.

“It completely depends upon the players themselves and BCCI if they are cleared to take part in the league.

“The entire organizing team of Abu Dhabi T10 and my team owners have been extremely supportive towards me, the format in itself is so exciting that it always keeps you on your toes and makes you think each delivery.

“It would be great to see more Indian players take part in the Abu Dhabi T10 league and express themselves,” he said.

Asked about the fast paced format that would actually see games end in around 90 minutes, Zaheer said: “Abu Dhabi T10 league is such an exciting format that it has garnered tremendous popularity globally.

“Last year I was a part of the tournament and I realized the amount of potential the format has, I am really looking forward to the new season and Abu Dhabi should be a great location for the league. T10 is the definitely the next big thing in cricket and it is here to stay.

“The success of Abu Dhabi T10 can lead to greater things for cricket. As more people enjoy the game live or on TV, this can lead to greater development and the spread of cricket to other non-traditional countries,” he added.

Earlier, former India skipper Anil Kumble had also said that it would be a great learning experience for young players in leagues across the world if they got to share the dressing rooms with Indian stars.

The global appeal of cricket and the attraction of Abu Dhabi as a travel and sporting destination create a winning formula for local government stakeholders, as well, including the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, according to CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket, Matthew Boucher.

During the first season of the league Kerala Knights were crowned as champions while the second season saw Northern Warriors come out on top.

This year with more international stars coming into the league, fans can expect more entertainment on the field with the level of cricket set to improve manifolds.