Emirates Cricket Board on Monday confirmed that the inaugural International League T20 or ILT20 League will be played between 6 January and 12 February 2023.
Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said, “Emirates Cricket Board is delighted to welcome Reliance Industries, Kolkata Knight Riders, Capri Global, GMR, Lancer Capital, Adani Sportsline, broadcaster ZEE and all other stakeholders to the newly established T20 League of UAE. Such experienced names and entities as partners bodes well for the UAE T20 League. Through the commitment of these partners they have demonstrated confidence in the Emirates Cricket Board as we take the game into the future”.
The six-team franchise-style league will be played over a 34-match schedule at world-renowned, world-class venues of UAE. The first event is scheduled to be played between the window of 6th January and 12th February 2023.
“As we begin this long journey I am confident that together we will achieve new heights and in the process provide entertainment and excitement to the millions of fans around the globe who are waiting for the first ball of the UAE T20 League to be bowled,” he added.
The tournament will also provide a valuable platform for Emirates Cricket to take developing their local talent to a higher level, where UAE-based players currently integrated in the board’s programme, as well as those identified by the high-performance coaching and selection committee teams, will be given the opportunity to train and play alongside some of the world’s best minds of today’s game.
Khalid Al Zarooni, chairman, ILT20 said, “Emirates Cricket, and the UAE, has a proven history of identifying and embracing initiatives that underpin the success of the game. It is vitally important that through this tournament UAE-based players continue to flourish which is one of the objectives of this league.
