In the third edition of the International League T20, fours and sixes were on the offering in abundance, as over 10,000 runs were scored in the competition, courtesy of batting-friendly tracks across the three venues where this competition is held — Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
David White, the former New Zealand cricketer and chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, who is currently working as the CEO of the league, believes Season 4 of the tournament will have even more runs scored.
The fourth season commenced today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with defending champions Dubai Capitals and last season's runners-up Desert Vipers facing off in a repeat of the third season's final fixture.
Ahead of the occasion, here's what David White had to say:
How is the league shaping up ahead of the start, and what is the mood like going into the season?
We’re so excited. Everything’s in place — you’ve seen the stadium, it looks magnificent. The teams are ready, it’s great to have our commercial partners here, Zee, who are tremendous supporters of the league, and we can’t wait for it to start.
What’s different compared to the previous edition, and what can fans expect this year?
Well, a lot has happened since the last league. Of course, we’ve had an auction, which was very successful. We’re also playing in a different window this year — we’re starting in December — so it’s going to be really interesting to see how that goes from both a fan and a broadcast point of view.
How important is Indian representation in the league?
Three Indian players would be great. Of course, we know Indian fans love Indian players, so we’re really looking forward to that, and it’ll be interesting to see what the numbers are like. We can’t wait. The quality of cricket is going to be very high with nine overseas players per team, and now we’ve also introduced some Kuwait players and Saudi players as well. One of the big objectives of the league is not just to be a UAE league, but to grow it into the Gulf region. We see the future of this league being very much a Gulf-region league, not just the UAE.
What makes the DP World ILT20 league exciting this year?
The great thing about our league, DP World ILT20, is that we play on fantastic grounds with world-class facilities, great wickets, and excellent training conditions. This time of the year, I think there will be a lot of runs scored. With international players and very talented local players, the standard of cricket is growing every year.
I’d also like to add to that having DP World ILT20 broadcast on Z channels reaches a wider cricket fan base and demographic than just a sports channel. Linking it with entertainment channels really opens up the league to a much broader audience.
What are your expectations for fan turnout and conditions in Dubai?
The weather is fantastic this time of year, much better than the previous hot season. It’s great for fans and players alike. We are starting on the UAE National Day, and with the festive season, Western Christmas, and New Year celebrations, Dubai is full of visitors. We expect large crowds and strong engagement.