UAE ILT20: Sharjah Warriors Announces Foreign Player Roster for Inaugral Season

The ILT20 preparations are in full swing, and franchisees are working hard to sign the most exclusive players around the globe in order to make its inaugural season a tremendous success. In addition to Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Dawid Malan, Evin Lewis, Mohammad Nabi, and more foreign players were signed by Sharjah Warriors for the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20).

The proprietors of the Chennai Super Kings of the IPL have signed England all-rounder Moeen to play for Johannesburg Super Kings in South Africa’s new T20 competition, which will run mostly concurrently with the ILT20 in January-February of the following year. Aside from that, Moeen is also anticipated to be a member of the England limited-overs team that will play three one-day internationals in South Africa in late January and early February 2023 as part of the ICC’s new Future Tours Program.

The remaining 14 players are Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Chris Benjamin, Danny Briggs, Mark Deyal, Bilal Khan, and JJ Smit, with Bilal and Smit serving as the team’s two mandated Associate players (representing Oman and Namibia, respectively). Deyal, Benjamin, and Kohler-Cadmore have never played cricket for their country.

The team, which is owned by Capri Global, an Indian non-banking financial institution, will eventually select four players from the UAE. The league is anticipated to permit nine foreign players in the starting XI for each match.

With the Bangladesh Premier League (December-January) and Australia’s Big Bash League (December-January), there is also expected to be a scheduling overlap that will drive up the cost of elite players (January-February).

The other ILT20 clubs that have so far revealed their international rosters are Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, and MI Emirates.

Sharjah Warriors squad so far: Moeen Ali (Eng), Dawid Malan (Eng), Evin Lewis (WI), Mohammad Nabi (Afg), Chris Woakes (Eng), Noor Ahmad (Afg), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afg), Naveen-ul-Haq (Afg), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Eng, uncapped), Chris Benjamin (Eng uncapped), Danny Briggs (Eng), Mark Deyal (WI, uncapped), Bilal Khan (Oman), JJ Smit (Namibia)