UAE gets match ready for IPL by launching Emirates Domestic D10 cricket tournament

By K.R. Nayar
At a time when the entire cricketing world is looking towards the UAE with expectations as the country is likely to host IPL 2020, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has launched its cricket activities through their own 'Emirates Domestic D10 tournament' This tournament will trigger cricket contests in the country in order to be prepared not only for IPL but for many more tournaments in the future. 

Launch of the Emirates Domestic D10 tournament. From left: Vivek Chandra, Mubashir Usmani, and Richard Saldhana

UAE, which is the top favourite to host the Indian Premier League 2020, has launched its cricket board’s inaugural tournament titled ‘Emirates Domestic D10’. Through this event, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) will announce to the cricket world that UAE is match ready to host the IPL, the biggest T20 showpiece by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Mubashir Usmani, Secretary-General ECB, through the first cricket press conference held after the stoppage of cricket activities in the UAE due to COVID-19, said:  “We will showcase our domestic talent by giving them a platform through this tournament. Our board has entered into a partnership with ITW Consulting, and it will be held from July 24 to August 7.” As per news emerging from India, IPL teams will arrive in the UAE in August for training, and hence this tournament will create the momentum for bigger cricket activities not only in the UAE but all of the Middle East.

Mubashir, flanked by Vivek Chandra, Director & Head of Business – ITW Middle East and Africa, and Richard Saldhana, Head of Sales and broadcasting ITW, addressed the press conference attended by local media and was also zoomed live to other countries, explained the details of the tournament. “This will be a 10-over format tournament that will be contested by six teams. The league will see UAE's  top four domestic club teams as well as two 'Emirates Blues' teams formed by ECB, contesting for the trophy.  This 34-match tournament will be played every day from 4 pm. Since it is one of the shortest formats, there will be four matches on some days and three on other days. The match timing will be 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm, and 10 pm, and on three-match days the matches will conclude at 8 pm. We have fixed the matches for the evening considering the hot weather  and also for people to watch the live coverage from home after their day’s activities.”

Mubashir clarified that the tournament will be a closed-door event and hence there will be no entry for spectators. “We will be following all safety protocols as stipulated by the health authorities, and since all matches will be streamed live, we encourage all cricket-loving fans to take advantage of this.” ITW’s Vivek Chandra announced that the tournament will be live-streamed on Etisalat (UAE), Cricket Gateway, and other well-known platforms in India, Pakistan, as well as the rest of the Middle East, and across UK and USA.  To make sure the action reaches all subcontinent fans, a partnership has been forged with Fancode, a sports App to watch live streams and live scores with a huge online presence in India and a subscriber base of nearly 80 million.

Mubashir added that plans are also on to stage a similar tournament for UAE women cricketers, and a Twenty20 and 50-over tournament soon.

Khalid Al Zarooni

Khalid  Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman ECB, stated that this tournament will be a milestone in the development of cricket in the UAE based on its vision to develop and add an annual top-tier domestic tournament to the UAE calendar  “ECB is aware of the talent that is being developed at various grounds and through various games being played across the UAE, and we are cognisant of tapping into these teams with the goal of strengthening the depth and sustainability of UAE Cricket’s National teams across age-groups, women and men’s sides well into the future,”  stated Zarooni.

Dr. Tayeb Kamali

Dr. Tayeb Kamali, Chairman of the Selection Committee of UAE Cricket team, stated that this event will help spot talent for the future. “The 10-over format is an extremely intense and a growing short-format of the game. This tournament has been designed to expose our players to a structured competition on world-class pitches with their performance being overseen by cricket veterans and administrators. We also expect this format to assist in developing each player’s skill-set, encourage team cohesiveness, and provide us with a platform to identify and select future talent.

The ECB received a shot in the arm through a statement from Bhairav Shanth, Co-founder and Group CEO, ITW. "We are committed to promoting cricket in the UAE and are looking forward to working with the Emirates Cricket Board for the long term. Emirates Domestic D10 Tournament is our first step towards partnering ECB in future commercial ventures.”


So cheer up cricketers in the UAE, cricket is back again.  


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