Some of the top cricket stars from all around the world will represent the six ILT20 franchises in Season 2 of UAE’s biggest domestic T20 league -- the ILT20.
Australia’s all-format opener David Warner (Dubai Capitals) is amongst the full list of superstars that the six teams have signed for Season 2.
Warner (350 internationals for Australia) is already a great of the game with his batting feats in the international arena. The left-hander has played 356 T20s around the world amassing 11695 runs with the help of eight centuries.
England fast bowler Mark Wood is set to raise the heat at the DP World ILT20 Season 2 with his searing pace, Wood also joins the Capitals squad. Wood is rated amongst the fastest bowlers in the world and has produced some match-winning performances in the recent past.
Other than Warner and Wood, the Capitals have brought back Sri Lanka all-rounder Dasun Shanaka (in the new player signing window). Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored 168 runs in eight innings for the Sharjah Warriors last season, has made a move to the Capitals for Season 2. Likewise, English wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings, who scored 285 runs in 11 innings for the Desert Vipers in Season 1, will also be seen in the Capitals colours for Season 2.
England’s seasoned white-ball pacer David Willey (107 internationals) leads the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ new signings. Willey adds to the squad a wealth of T20 experience (269 matches), the organisers of the league informed in a release on Monday.
Ireland’s talented left-armer Josh Little joins Willey as one of Knight Riders’ new signings. England’s veteran all-rounder Ravi Bopara (171 internationals, 458 T20s) has moved from the Capitals to the Knight Riders squad for Season 2.
Prolific limited overs all-rounder Shadab Khan (259 T20s, 2562 runs and 289 wickets) who has captained Pakistan in T20Is joins countrymen Shaheen Shah Afridi (announced last week) and big-hitting Azam Khan in the Vipers squad. Promising Netherlands batting all-rounder Bas de Leede is also in the Vipers’ squad for Season 2.
Champions Gulf Giants have included the Afghanistan duo of all-rounder Karim Janat and spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (244 T20 wickets). Mujeeb appeared for the Capitals last season. The 22-year-old talented English batter Jordan Cox is also amongst the Giants' new recruits for Season 2. Dominic Drakes has been rehired in the new players signing window.
MI Emirates have added more all-round strength to their squad by signing the once fastest ODI century maker Corey Anderson. The former New Zealand player (now USA qualified) has featured in 152 T20 matches in various competitions around the world.
Anderson joins former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu who besides his 61 international appearances for his country has rich experience of T20 cricket, having scored 6028 runs in the format. Akeal Hosein who represented the Knight Riders in the opening season joins the MIE squad for Season 2.
Star New Zealand opener Martin Guptill will be making his DP World ILT20 debut next season for Sharjah Warriors. The right-hander has scored 9055 runs in 324 T20 matches with the help of five centuries. Besides Guptill, the Warriors have included the potent T20 Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana (127 T20 wickets).
The Sharjah side has also added to their squad the experienced duo of West Indian Johnson Charles and England all-rounder Lewis Gregory. Afghanistan spinner Qais Ahmed who was part of the Giants squad in Season 1 has moved to the Sharjah camp for Season 2.
The final step for the six franchises to complete their squads for the upcoming season is to sign additional players from the UAE, which will be announced shortly.
Full list of new and retained players:
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders
New signings: Brandon McMullen, David Willey, Jake Lintott, Josh Little, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper, Ravi Bopara and Sam Hain.
Retentions: Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka, Joe Clarke, Sabir Ali, Sunil Narine, Marchant de Lange and Matiullah Khan.
Desert Vipers
New signings: Adam Hose, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Michael Jones, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Retentions: Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Colin Munro, Dinesh Chandimal, Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood, Matheesha Pathirana, Rohan Mustafa, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Dubai Capitals
New signings: Andrew Tye, Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Mark Wood, Max Holden, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nuwan Thusara, Roelof van der Merwe, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Sam Billings.
Retentions: Dushmantha Chameera, Joe Root, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza.
Gulf Giants
New signings: Dominic Drakes, Jordan Cox, Karim Janat, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Saurabh Netravalkar.
Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Gerhard Erasmus, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Sanchit Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer.
MI Emirates
New signings: Akeal Hosein, Ambati Rayudu, Corey Anderson, Kusal Perera, Nosthush Kenjige, Odean Smith, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil.
Retentions: Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, McKenny Clarke, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Trent Boult, Will Smeed and Zahoor Khan.
Sharjah Warriors
New signings: Chris Sole, Daniel Sams, Dilshan Madhushanka, James Fuller, Johnson Charles, Kusal Mendis, Lewis Gregory, Maheesh Theekshana, Mark Watt, Martin Guptill, Sean Williams and Qais Ahmed.
Retentions: Chris Woakes, Joe Denly, Junaid Siddique, Mark Deyal, Muhammad Jawadullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
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