Harbhajan Singh showers praise on UAE youngster Aayan Afzal Khan
The legendary Indian spinner says all the teams have produced quality cricket in the ILT20, the UAE's IPL-style franchise league.
"The tournament is going great, and we've seen some excellent cricket. The good thing about this tournament is that all the teams have shown quality, which means they still have a chance to make a comeback,' Harbhajan said.
"Across the three venues (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah) all pitches are different which makes it more competitive and interesting.'
Among the standout performers from the UAE this season, Harbhajan highlighted the exceptional talent of Gulf Giants' Aayan whose eight wickets in the tournament includes a stunning spell of 4/16 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
"Aayan Afzal Khan is doing a great job. I have been following him and speaking to him from the first season," Harbhajan said of the 19-year-old left-arm-spinner
"I think Aayan could win the Blue Belt award as the most valuable UAE player. As the wickets dry up over the course of the competition, spinners will be key, and it's going to be a lot of fun to watch."
Turning his focus to the Desert Vipers, who became the first team to qualify for the play-offs, Harbhajan had high praise for their all-round strength.
"From the games I've seen or worked on (as commentator) during my time here, I think the Desert Vipers look like a really strong team. They have a brilliant bowling lineup with the likes of Mohammed Amir and Lockie Ferguson, and their batting features some serious firepower. They are real contenders for the championship," he said.
Looking ahead, Harbhajan shared his predictions for the highest run-scorer (Green Belt) and wicket-taker (White Belt) of the season.
"I think Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammed Amir have been in phenomenal form with the ball, taking wickets in every game. I think one of them could finish at the top of the ladder," he said.
"So far, Shai Hope and Tom Banton have scored a lot of runs, but the second part of the tournament has just started. I want to see more players performing, scoring runs, and climbing up the ladder."
Finally, Harbhajan said the ILT20 could be a game-changer for cricket in the UAE.
'This league is very important for UAE cricket. At the moment we have two players from the UAE in each team, maybe that number will go up to three or four in the next few seasons as the UAE players are getting better,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
8 hours ago
- Al Etihad
ILT20 auction after Asia Cup chance for UAE players to shine
1 Aug 2025 00:29 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI )The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) is set to introduce a player auction after three years of private team building by the six participating franchises, and rings in feelings of hope and excitement, especially for players from UAE and Associate cricket countries. Speaking to Aletihad , an ILT20 official has said the auction could herald a significant shift in how teams will build their squads, especially as the September 30 auction will follow soon after the September 9-28 Asia Cup, which UAE is hosting as a neutral venue. The first ILT20 auction will allow the franchises to fill 78 squad spots – 13 per team – with a collective purse of $4.8 million. This marks the first time the ILT20 will move to an auction model, a transition that Mike Fordham, the league's Head of Cricket Operations, said was part of a long-term strategy. Similar to the Indian Premier League, teams were first given the choice to retain players of choice before putting names in the mix for all to bid and White, the DP World ILT20 Chief Executive Officer, said, 'The auction is a big milestone for the league as we continue to grow as a world-class T20 tournament. The auction will be a great opportunity for our franchises to add local and international firepower.' Echoing the view of White, the Head of Cricket Operations, Mike Fordham, spoke to Aletihad on the significance of the auction and the pivot in strategy. 'It was always intended we'd have a three-year cycle with the ILT20,' Fordham explained. 'Most players were initially on three-year contracts, so this was a natural time to try something different. We wanted to open up the league to new players and make it less of a closed shop, and we think an auction is the best way to do that.'Associate nations like the UAE and Hong Kong are part of the six-nation 2025 Asia Cup, which India was to host, while the ILT20 rules mandate a minimum of two UAE players and two more from Associate countries. That means ILT20 still needs seven international players in the squad and hence carries the most global year's edition begins early on December 2, coinciding with Eid Al Etihad, and ends on January 4, coinciding as always in a busy stretch on the cricketing calendar. The auction makes it more pertinent, said Fordham.'It's an exciting way for the teams to build their squads and gives fans something to follow closely. Depending on who registers, we could see some aggressive bidding, particularly for players who perform well in the Asia Cup, including those from the UAE,' he said. The player registration window for the auction has now opened and will close on September 10. For the UAE players, the Development Tournament, which feeds the ILT20 and begins this month, is another opportunity now besides the Asia Cup to strike notice of their talent.
Int'l Cricket Council
10 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Karun Nair stands tall as England pacers turn up the heat ICC World Test Championship
On a rain-affected Day 1 of the final Test at The Oval between India and England, Karun Nair's fighting half-century kept India in the hunt after England's pacers snuffed out regular wickets, with the visitors ending the day at 204/6. With the series poised precariously – India need a win to secure a 2-2 draw, while England need victory to secure the series – India were asked to bat by England after winning a rain-delayed toss. Both teams made four changes heading into the final Test. For India, Karun Nair and Akash Deep returned after missing the Manchester Test. Dhruv Jurel replaced the injured Rishabh Pant, while Prasidh Krishna returned to the XI for the first time since the opening Test. England fielded a new-look bowling lineup featuring Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue, with Jacob Bethell included to bolster the batting depth. The returning Atkinson made an instant impact once play got underway, trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal leg before in the third over to give England the ideal start. KL Rahul weathered a challenging spell thereafter, but couldn't make the most of his hard work, chopping one onto his stumps off the bowling of Chris Woakes. India captain Shubman Gill then took charge, not allowing England to settle. With the steely Sai Sudharsan looking steady at the other end, India moved to 72/2 when rain forced an early Lunch. When play resumed, Gill and Sudharsan were tasked with navigating a tricky phase where the ball was swinging considerably. However, it was a communication mix-up between the two that led to the run-out of the Indian skipper, handing England a crucial breakthrough. Shortly after, rain once again interrupted play, after which Tea was called early. After a lengthy delay, the skies finally cleared, allowing for an extended final session – and England made merry. They started strongly, dismissing the well-set Sudharsan. Josh Tongue delivered a beautiful outswinger that found the edge of Sudharsan's bat. The pacer then produced a near-identical delivery to remove Ravindra Jadeja – one of India's heroes in Manchester – giving England two quickfire wickets. Nair and Dhruv Jurel added a crucial 30 runs for India, but England didn't allow the partnership to become anything more. Atkinson tempted Jurel into having a pop at one that was shaping away, and the edge was brilliantly taken by Harry Brook in the slips. It was then that Nair was joined by Washington Sundar, who had scored his maiden Test century in Manchester. The duo put together an unbroken 51-run stand for the seventh wicket, ensuring India crossed the 200-run mark. England also had injury concerns when Woakes sustained a suspected shoulder issue while fielding, and was forced off the field. Nair and Sundar provided much-needed stability for India at the end of the day, setting the scene for an intruging Day 2 at The Oval. ICC World Test ChampionshipNewsICC World Test Championship, 2025/27
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Injured captain Stokes ruled out of 5th Test, England make 4 changes
England captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fifth and final test against India with a right shoulder injury. Ollie Pope, who bats at No. 3, will replace Stokes as captain for the test at the Oval in London, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Wednesday. Play begins Thursday, with India trailing 2-1 in the series and needing a win to draw. Stokes said he expects to be sidelined for up to seven weeks, which should in no way impact his participation in this winter's Ashes series in Australia. But he felt it was clearly too risky playing one more test against India. 'It is one of those of weighing up the risk-reward, and the risk was way too high for damaging this any further than it currently is,' he said. 'I wouldn't expect to put any of my players at risk with an injury like this. Once this series is done, I was feet up anyway (so) it doesn't really make too much difference to what I've got from the end of the series up until the winter.' The first test against Australia is on Nov. 21 and England will be counting on Stokes to help wrestle back the urn from Australia, which has held it since 2018. England has not won the Ashes since 2015 and has not won the Ashes in Australia since 2011. The 34-year-old Stokes was back to his inspirational best as an allrounder in last week's drawn fourth test, taking five wickets against India with some brilliant hostile and accurate spells, and finding his batting form again with an authoritative knock of 141 for his long-awaited 14th test century. He became England's fourth player to get five wickets and a century in a test. Stokes is the leading wicket taker across both teams with 17 - three more than Indian pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with a lower average than both. But bowling long spells clearly took its toll on Stokes, who has struggled with injuries in recent years. He was hit by a bout of cramp on day 3. The intensity of the series so far has led to fatigue and injuries on both sides. India's batting star Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the fifth test with a foot fracture. He made 54 in the fourth test, despite playing with the injury. England will also be without pacers Jofra Archer - who only recently returned to test cricket after more than four years out - and Brydon Carse. Spinner Liam Dawson is also left out in one of four changes. Jacob Bethell replaces Stokes at No. 6 in the batting line up, while Gus Atkinson returns to bolster England's attack, along with Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue. The 21-year-old Bethell has been regarded as one of the brightest talents in English cricket for many years, with a batting average of 52 from this three tests so far and a high score of 96. He is also a useful left-arm spinner. The fourth test ended with tensions between the teams, with Stokes saying his opposite number Shubman Gill should have accepted his offer of a draw with the match heading toward an inevitable stalemate. But Gill chose to wait until Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar - whose watchful and stubborn long partnership helped save the test - had completed their centuries. On Tuesday, India head coach Gautam Gambhir clashed with ground staff at the Oval. Video footage showed Gambhir in a confrontation with Lee Fortis, the lead curator at the ground. Stokes is preparing himself for an 'emotional' tribute to Graham Thorpe when the late former England batsman is honoured during this week's fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval. Thorpe took his own life on Aug.4, 2024, having batted depression and anxiety for several years, with police confirming he had died following an incident on a railway line near his home. The left-handed batsman, who spent his entire professional career in south London with Oval-based Surrey, scored 6,744 Test runs at an average of 44.66 in 100 matches from 1993 to 2005. He later held various coaching positions, including a role as England's batting chief, where he worked with current players such as Test captain Stokes and Joe Root. A Day for Thorpey will be held on Friday, August 1 in support of mental health charity Mind on what would have been his 56th birthday. 'Thorpey's been a very influential character as a player and a coach in English cricket,' Stokes told reporters at the Oval on Wednesday. Agencies
