Shoaib Akhtar It Would Be Great to See Sharjah Warriorz Claim the Title
Chandigarh, 10th February 2024: The DP World ILT20 Season 3, streaming exclusively on Zee Network, has captivated cricket fans worldwide with its exhilarating action. As the tournament reaches its penultimate stage, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Desert Vipers and Sharjah Warriorz are set to battle it out for a coveted spot in the final against Dubai Capitals. With world-class cricketers showcasing their exceptional talent and legendary players offering unparalleled insights, ILT20 Season 3 has been nothing short of a cricketing spectacle. Fans have been treated to unforgettable moments, edge-of-the-seat drama, and masterclass performances from some of the game’s biggest stars.
Legendary former cricketer and the ‘Rawalpindi Express,’ Shoaib Akhtar, shared his thoughts on the tournament’s impact and the rising talent making waves this season. As an ILT20 league ambassador for the second season, Shoaib Akhtar shared his thoughts on the tournament’s progress, saying, “ILT20 is getting bigger and better every year. The numbers speak for themselves – from TRP to reach, the tournament is making a huge impact. The quality of players performing is immense. But more importantly, the league was created to promote local UAE talent, and it’s successfully doing that. This season, we have seen players like Muhammad Waseem and Khuzaima Tanveer rising through the ranks, which is heartening to witness.”
When discussing emerging fast-bowling talent, Akhtar was particularly impressed by a young pacer, “Farhan Khan has impressed me. I wanted to see him bowl with the new ball early in the tournament because he’s very skilled with it. He’s just 18, learning fast, and has a bright future ahead. There’s a bit of a challenge when he bowls to left-handers, but at his age, the key is learning. Ayaan Khan is also exceptional in spin, and Khuzaima Tanveer is proving to be a real talent – he can bat and bowl, making him one to watch.”
On picking a potential winner for ILT20 Season 3, Akhtar revealed his preference, “All four teams in the playoffs deserve to win, but my heart goes out to Sharjah Warriorz. They started slow but gained momentum at the right time. If they go all the way and lift the title, it would be great to see.”
Sehwag UAE’s Batting Tracks Make ILT20 Finale Thrilling
Chandigarh, February 10th, 2025: On the eve of Qualifier 2, DP World ILT20 Season 3, streaming exclusively on Zee Network, has reached a crucial juncture. Batting legend and commentator Virender Sehwag vouched to witness thrilling contest between Sharjah Warriorz and Desert Vipers on Friday, at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The winner of this match will take on Dubai Capitals in the final on Sunday, 9th February to be played at the Dubai International Stadium.
Emphasising on the wickets here in UAE that are tailor-made for scoring big runs, Sehwag said, “UAE stadiums have some of the best batting tracks. Though I didn’t have the opportunity to play a lot here, I did play a couple of games for India and during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and I absolutely enjoyed batting here in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.”
“Hopefully the next two games (Qualifier 2 and Final) will be a cracker. The match between Dubai Capitals and Desert Vipers went down to the last ball and I am sure the next two games will be thrilling contest too.”
Having been part of the DP World ILT20 as a commentator since its inception, Sehwag highlighted the growth of this league and factors that makes it one of the top cricket leagues in the world. “I think the DP World ILT20 is one of the best leagues. Like IPL is good for the development of Indian cricket, similarly, DP World ILT20 is good for UAE players and the Middle East. But the good part is that you can’t see nine international players playing in one team in any other league.”
He further added, “This is the third year for me in DP World ILT20 as a commentator. And I’m seeing that a lot of good international players are coming and playing this league, which is benefitting UAE’s youngsters. They’re getting good experience with international players. And this year, if you look at all the matches, they have been very close and very interesting and there were a lot of games that saw 200-plus runs being scored too.”
On being asked if there was any batter, he would love to have a partnership going here in the DP World ILT20, Sehwag named Australia’s David Warner who scored a blistering 93 unbeaten against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to put the Dubai Capitals in the play-offs.
When asked if he would like to see Indian players in this league, he said, “I would love to see Indian players here. If any Indian player who has just retired from International cricket or IPL and if they want to play, like Dinesh Karthik is playing right now, it would be great, I would love to see Indian cricketers play here and if there was one player I would have particularly liked to watch here is the sixer-man Yuvraj Singh,” he signed off.