ILT20 captains celebrate spirit of cricket at Dubai International Stadium

The six captains of ILT20 addressed the global media on January 18 at the Dubai International Stadium. In the ceremony, the captains presented their excitement, pride and anticipation for the second season. ILT20 league, now recognized as the world's second most-watched T20 tournament, continues to command cricket fans’ attention with its enthralling matches and star-studded rosters.

The team captains Nicholas Pooran – MI Emirates, Tom Kohler Cadmore – Sharjah Warriors, Chris Lynn – Gulf Giants (Defending Champions), Colin Munro – Desert Vipers (Runners-Up), Sunil Narine – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sam Billings – Dubai Capitals adorned in their respective team colours stood alongside the trophy.

Chris Lynn, powerhouse player from Gulf Giants said, “With James at the helm, coach Andy Flower has consistently demonstrated a winning touch wherever he goes, consistently clinching trophies. The success of last year's blueprint reinforces our confidence in its effectiveness, prompting us to maintain continuity in our approach. Our focus remains on flawlessly executing our established plans, with a keen emphasis on adapting to the prevailing conditions, recognizing their pivotal role in our strategy.”

Colin Munro, Captain – Desert Vipers said, “Our emphasis is on revisiting the drawing board, meticulously crafting a robust team composition that is poised to consistently deliver the desired results.”

Sunil Narine, Captain – Abu Dhabi Knight Riders said, “Taking forward valuable learnings from our experiences last year, we have identified areas for improvement. Our unwavering commitment remains fixed on the ultimate objective - lifting the ILT20 trophy. However, our focus from Game 1 will remain on the process, taking one game at a time.”

Sam Billings, Vice-Captain – Dubai Capitals said, “I am thrilled at the prospect of sharing the field with David Warner, someone I've faced numerous times in the past. Transitioning from playing alongside Colin to going head-to-head against him, which encapsulates the essence of T20 cricket.”

Nicholas Pooran, Captain – MI Emirates said, “I am truly grateful for the incredible opportunity to lead MI Emirates within the MI franchise. Our team is dedicated to maintaining consistency and prioritizing the meticulous execution of our game plan.”

Tom Kohler Cadmore – Sharjah Warriors said, “As we embark on the season's opener at our home ground against the defending champions, Gulf Giants, I am confident in our ability to present a well-balanced squad this year, a significant improvement from the previous season.”

ILT20, the world’s second most-watched T20 league, is set to kickstart on January 19. The league’s matches will be aired on Zee’s most-widely distributed 10 linear TV channels: &Pictures, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema, Zee Zest, Zee Ganga, Zee Cinemalu HD, &Flix, &Flix HD and Zee Zest HD as well as available for free-to-stream ZEE5. The event will be broadcast in Hindi and English commentary. All single header matches will be broadcast LIVE at 8 PM India prime time, starting with the pre-match presentation at 7:30 PM.