Gulf Giants walk tall in DP World ILT20 Development Tournament to emerge champions

By K.R. Nayar
From ICC Academy Oval

The DP World ILT20 Development Tournament 2024, staged to identify talented players from the UAE for the ILT20, which is set to begin on January 11, 2025, showcased some of the finest cricketing talents in the country. The final, held at the ICC Academy Oval 1 on Wednesday, October 16, amidst a festive atmosphere, was fiercely contested.

Vriitya Aravind skippered Gulf Giants lifted the trophy, beating Alishan Sharafu captained ILT20 Pearls by six wickets. Legendary cricketer and coach of the Gulf Giants, Andy Flower, along with Simon Taufel, one of the world’s finest umpires, and UAE team coach Lalchand Rajput, were present to witness the action. Flower, alongside David White, CEO of the DP World International League T20, Zayed Abbas, member of the Emirates Cricket Board, and Sanjay Adesara, CEO Adani Sportsline presented the awards.

Gulf Giants skipper Vriitya Aravind receives the winners' trophy from Zayed Abbas, member of the Emirates Cricket Board. Photo by K.R. Nayar    

The fact that the teams were led by Vriitya Aravind and Alishan Sharafu, two of the UAE’s brightest future stars, added to the spectacle. Sharafu provided a brisk start for the Pearls with a quickfire 35 off 15 balls, including four superb sixes and two boundaries. Alongside the experienced Rohan Mustafa, who contributed 33 runs, the opening pair put on 54 runs in just 4.2 overs. The standout performer, however, was Yassir Kaleem, whose unbeaten 72 off 45 balls, studded with seven sixes, propelled the team to 185 for 5 in their 20 overs. Remarkably, Kaleem’s innings consisted entirely of sixes, with no boundaries.

ILT20 Pearls team skipper Alishan Sharafu receives the runners-up trophy from David White, CEO of the DP World ILT20. Photo by K.R. Nayar   

Although the Pearls' score seemed challenging, that didn’t faze Gulf Giants' skipper, Vriitya Aravind. Despite losing two early wickets with only 20 runs on the board in the first three overs, Aravind and Shivlal Bawa counter-attacked effectively, taking the score to 100 in 12.2 overs. Aravind fell after scoring 34 off 28 balls, with two sixes and a boundary. Bawa and Hameed Khan then kept the momentum going.

Muhammad Saghir Khan receives the Player of the Tournament award from Andy Flower, Head Coach Gulf Giants. Photo by K.R. Nayar  

After Khan departed for 27, Muhammad Saghir Khan entered and played a blistering knock of 33* off just 11 balls, including three boundaries and three sixes. His onslaught made it easy for Bawa to reach his half-century. Bawa remained unbeaten on 63 off 48 balls, hitting five boundaries and three sixes. The Giants won the match with an over to spare.

Shivlal Bawa, receives the Player of the Final award from Sanjay Adesara, CEO Adani Sportsline.  Photo by K,R. Nayar

Shivlal Bawa was named Player of the Final, while Muhammad Saghir Khan received the Player of the Tournament award. Raees Ahmed finished as the tournament’s top scorer, amassing 307 runs for the ILT20 Thunderbolts, while Uzair Khan was the leading wicket-taker, with 16 wickets for the Pearls.

Raees Ahmed ... the highest scorer of the tournament,  piling up 307 runs. 

This competition provides the UAE players with the opportunity to earn one of 12 coveted spots in the six DP World ILT20 Season 3 squads, with the all-important draft scheduled for October 23.  This six teams namely ILT20 Pearls, Gulf Giants, Dubai Capitals, ILT20 Thunderbolts, Desert Vipers and ILT20 Marvels took part.

Uzair Khan... leading wicket taker with 16 wickets and a five-wicket spell 

Eighteen matches were played between them and 104 UAE players took part. A total of 301 sixes were hit and 445 boundaries. The highest score of the tournament was posted by Gulf Giants scoring 218 for 8 in 19.5 overs to win the semifinal over ILT20 Thunderbolts. Two centuries were scored and that came from Raees Ahmed (105) and Alishan Sharafu (112). The best spell was from Uzair Khan (5 for 18). This was the only five wicket spell of the event.  

The winning moment and celebration of the Gulf Giants. Photo: K.R. Nayar 

How the teams reached the final:

 ILT20 Pearls and Gulf Giants Development secured their spots in the final after impressive performances in the semi-finals. ILT20 Pearls triumphed over Dubai Capitals Development by four wickets, with Alishan Sharafu scoring a crucial 87 runs. In the other semi-final, Gulf Giants Development defeated the ILT20 Thunderbolts, despite Raees Ahmed’s century for the Thunderbolts.

Legendary umpire Simon Taufel at the final . Photo: K.R. Nayar 

Brief scores (semifinal)
ILT20 Pearls defeat Dubai Capitals Development by 4 wkts. Dubai Capitals Development 176 for 7 in 20 overs (Hafiz Almas Ayub 44, Mayank 38, Adees Usmani 38, Harshit Seth 2 for 15, Uzair Khan 2 for 31) ILT20 Pearls 178 for 6 in 16.5 overs (Haider Ali 3 for 20, Farhan Khan 2 for 32).

The dignitaries for the final - from left: Sanjay Adesara, Andy Flower, David White and Zayed Abbas. Photo by K.R. Nayar

Gulf Giants Development beat ILT20 Thunderbolts by 2 wkts. ILT20 Thunderbolts 216 for 4 in 20 overs (Raees Ahmed 105, Ronak Panoly 61, Luqman Faisal 27, Zeeshan Naseer 3 for 31) Gulf Giants Development 218 for 8 in 19.5 overs (Uzair Haider Mann 49, Hameed Khan 42, Muhammad Zuhaib 33, Umair Ali 3 for 38, Junaid Siddique 3 for 45).

Brief scores (final):
Gulf Giants Development defeated ILT20 Pearls by 6 wkts.   ILT20 Pearls 185/5 in 20 overs (Yassir Kaleem 72, Alishan Sharafu 35, Rohan Mustafa 33, Muhammad Irfan 2 for 28, Aayan Afzal Khan 2 for 31, Muhammad Zuhaib 1 for 33) Gulf Giants Development 186/4 in 20 overs (Shival Bawa 63*, Vriitya Arvind 34, Muhammad Saghir Khan 33*, Rohan Mustafa 3 for 36, Uzair Khan 1 for 29) . Player of the final: Shival Bawa.