ABU DHABI (UAE), Dec 23: Eightteams have drawn battle lines through a live Team Draw for the coveted AbuDhabi T10 Winners Trophy – the fourth season of the cricket’s fastestrecognised format is spreading is increasing in popularity across the world.
An exciting line-up placedeight teams of Abu Dhabi T10 into two powerful groups for them to battle it outfor the next season of the world’s first and only ten-over format professionalcricket league when they meet at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi fromJanuary 28 to February 6, 2021.
The Team Draw placed lastyear’s Champions Maratha Arabians against Bangla Tigers, Delhi Bulls andNorthern Warriors – the Champions of 2018 edition in Group A, while last year’srunners up Deccan Gladiators will fight Qalandars, the 2nd Qualifier in lastyear’s Super League, Team Abu Dhabi and Pune Devils in their group stage leaguematches for pole position in the Super League.
Bangla Tigers last yearsecured the third place, followed by Qalandars – who was the first eliminatorin the Super League. Karnataka Tuskers – a team launched last year – has beenrebranded as Pune Devils.
Each of the four teamswill play three matches – six in each group in the group-stage. A total of 12matches will be held in the group stage, followed by 12 more matches in SuperLeague to determine the line-up in the Super League in which top two ranks asQualifiers while 3rd and 4th fight out as Eliminators. A total of 28 matcheswill be played in a span of ten days – in which the world’s top internationalcricketers will participate.
Backed by Emirates CricketBoard and sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, the Abu Dhabi T10 isa UAE home-grown innovation that is making cricket more popular across theworld. A 90-minute match, the ten-over format is ideally suited for theOlympics.
Shaji Ul Mulk, Founder& Chairman, Abu Dhabi T10, says, “I am delighted at the outcome of the drawfor this edition. This year’s icon players and retained players make every teamwell balanced, and this is bound to produce tough competition. It's a bigachievement that we are able to stage this tournament during Covid times - Allcredit to Abu Dhabi Cricket. We’ve had record crowds in the previous editionsand we hope the government permits maximum attendance for matches in the comingedition."
During the 2019 edition ofAbu Dhabi T10 league, 29 matches produced 5,989 runs with 800 boundaries and259 wickets taken in ten days.
Matt Boucher, ChiefExecutive Officer, Abu Dhabi Cricket, says, "It's a great day for AbuDhabi T10 tournament. One of the first milestones of the 4th edition is now inthe bag, and this is a fantastic moment for everybody. The special draw iscomplete and it looks like a brilliant set of games over ten days at the AbuDhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium. I am extremely impressed with the icons and theplatinum category stars announced by the teams. This edition will be a bigachievement for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Abu Dhabi Department ofCulture and Tourism who will once again provide support towards the event.”
Haroon Lorgat, DirectorStrategy and Development, Abu Dhabi T10, says, “This draw brings excitement tothe teams and now they can start working out their squad formation. I amastounded at the potential of T10 cricket and its attraction to grow the game.”
Team Draw
Group A
Maratha Arabians
Bangla Tigers
Delhi Bulls and
Northern Warriors
Group B
Deccan Gladiators
Qalandars
Team Abu Dhabi and
Pune Devils
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