Sehwag & Shoaib Akhtar praise DP World ILT20 impact on cricket in the region

Dubai: As the DP World ILT20 gears up for its third edition, scheduled to commence from January 11, 2025, cricketing icons Virender Sehwag and Shoaib Akhtar praised the league for its significant role in developing talent from the region and providing invaluable experience to players.

The two legends spoke at the Season 3 launch event held last weekend on a yacht at Dubai Marina.

The explosive Indian batter and legend of Indian cricket, Sehwag, reflected on the league's impact over the past two seasons, stating, “When we look back at the past two seasons of the DP World ILT20, we can see that many players, whether they are from the UAE or other countries like Afghanistan, have significantly improved their performances in ICC tournaments."

He further emphasised the unique learning opportunities the league offers to UAE players, “For the UAE team, when players play alongside nine international stars, they get the chance to learn from these experienced players. Not only during matches but also in how the international players practice, prepare, and handle pressure situations. They won’t find this kind of exposure anywhere else.”

Sehwag also reminisced about his own experiences with global stars, highlighting how those interactions shaped his career. He said, “When I had the opportunity to play with stars like Glenn McGrath, AB de Villiers, and Tillakaratne Dilshan, it helped me tremendously as they shared their experiences with me. I went on to have very good seasons after that exposure. The DP World ILT20 is providing similar opportunities for cricketers from the United Arab Emirates.”

The Rawalpindi Express, Shoaib Akhtar who has been associated with the competition from season 2, echoed his peer’s sentiments by discussing the league's broader implications: “As I’ve always said, it’s a breeding ground of talent for GCC countries, not just the United Arab Emirates. It is only going to help cricket, and it is a great initiative. I am blessed to be part of it and help the game grow.”

He also noted what sets the ILT20 apart from other international leagues.

“The effort being put in by DP World, the organisers, the broadcasters, and the Emirates Cricket Board is tremendous. They have made it easy to collaborate with them,” he opined.

Akhtar further praised the league's ability to blend cricket and entertainment, stating, “The DP ILT20 has created the magic of bringing together entertainment and cricket. In particular, they have brought a high quality of cricket to the region, which we have not seen since the India-Pakistan days in Sharjah.”

Season 3 of the DP World International League T20 will begin from January 11, 2025. The 34-match tournament will run for a month with the final to be played on February 9, 2025.