The ninth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 cricket tournament is scheduled from November 18 to 30 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. The event features eight franchises, including fresh teams and well-known international players such as Harbhajan Singh, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Shimron Hetmyer, Piyush Chawla, and Faf du Plessis.
Teams and key players
Each franchise has finalized its squad, blending experienced international stars with emerging talent. This mix is expected to bring intense competition for the title.
Ajman Titans have strengthened their squad by signing India’s World Cup-winning spinner Piyush Chawla along with Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw, and Alex Hales. Moeen Ali is seen as a crucial player both for his batting and spin bowling.
Aspin Stallions added former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, who will provide leadership on their debut in the tournament. Their squad also includes Sam Billings, Tymal Mills, and Andre Fletcher.
Deccan Gladiators have a strong batting line-up with Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, and Marcus Stoinis. David Wiese adds balance with his all-round skills.
Delhi Bulls bring experienced all-rounders Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. Their batting is bolstered by Tim David, Rovman Powell, and Phil Salt.
Northern Warriors rely on power hitters like Shimron Hetmyer and pace bowler Trent Boult, supported by spinner Tabraiz Shamsi and middle-order batsman Dinesh Chandimal.
Quetta Qavalry, new entrants to the tournament, feature Liam Livingstone, Jason Holder, and Imran Tahir. Their combination aims for balance across all departments.
Royal Champs include Jason Roy, Angelo Mathews, Shakib Al Hasan, and Chris Jordan, mixing aggressive batting and versatile bowling.
Vista Riders have added India’s World Cup-winning pacer S. Sreesanth to lead the bowling, with Faf du Plessis and Matthew Wade anchoring the batting.
Tournament outlook
Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman of Mulk Holdings and T10 Global Sports, commented: “The franchises have shown their hand with some smart picks and bold moves at the draft. From surprise selections to strategic additions, it’s clear the teams are gearing up for a thrilling edition of the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10. Cricket’s fastest format continues to grow each year, and it’s always been our mission to deliver the most entertaining version of the game to fans around the world.”
He also acknowledged the support from His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, along with partners including the Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub.
Full squads
Ajman Titans: Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Piyush Chawla, Will Smeed, Jason Behandroff, Alex Hales, Dan Lawrence, Asif Ali, Chris Green, Akif Javed, Zaman Khan, Aneurin Donald, Alishan Sharafu, Haider Ali, Wasim Akram, Luc Benkenstein, Tom Aspinwall, Joe Clarke, Asif Khan
Aspin Stallions: Sam Billings, Tymal Mills, Harbhajan Singh, Andre Fletcher, Avishka Fernando, Sherfane Rutherford, Binura Fernando, Saif Hassan, Ryan Burl, Akhilesh Bodugum, Ali Khan, Ben Cutting, Zohair Iqbal, Essam Muti Ur Rab, Hafeez ur Rehman, Ashmead Nedd, Matthew Hurst, Monank Patel, Harshit Seth
Deccan Gladiators: Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Richard Gleeson, Usman Tariq, David Wiese, Lahiru Kumara, Jordan Thompson, Dilpreet Singh Bajwa, Jake Ball, Ibrar Ahmed, Muhammad Jawadullah, Ajay Kumar, Ali Raza, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Laurie Evans, Mark Chapman
Delhi Bulls: Rovman Powell, Phil Salt, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Sunil Narine, Blessing Muzarubani, Salman Irshad, James Vince, Tom Moores, Qais Ahmed, Mir Hamza, James Coles, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique, Farhan Khan, Brian Bennett, Arab Gul, Romario Shepherd, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Northern Warriors: Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult, Thisara Perera, Johnson Charles, Colin Munro, Azmatullah Omarzai, Tabraiz Shamsi, Odean Smith, Shahnawaz Dahani, Dinesh Chandimal, Hazratullah Zazai, Asitha Fernando, Sagar Kalyan, Yakin Kiran Rai, Shahid Iqbal Bhutta, Bilal Sami, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kadeem Alleyne
Quetta Qavalry: Liam Livingstone, Jason Holder, Mohammad Amir, Sikandar Raza, Andries Gous, Evin Lewis, Imran Tahir, Fabian Allen, Abbas Afridi, Irfan Khan Niazi, George Scrimshaw, Khawaja Nafay, Muhammad Waseem, Abdul Ghaffa, Khuzaima Bin Tanvir, Arafat Minhas, Umar Lohya, Gudakesh Motie, Ali Nasser
Royal Champs: Jason Roy, Angelo Mathews, Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Jordan, Daniel Sams, Mohammad Shehzad, Niroshan Dickwella, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Dawson, Brandon McMullen, Isuru Udana, Quentin Sampson, Rahul Chopra, Haider Razzaq, Zahid Ali, Kelvin Pitman, Vishen Halambage, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Aaron Jones
Vista Riders: Faf du Plessis, Matthew Wade, S Sreesanth, Dwaine Pretorius, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Andrew Tye, Unmukt Chand, Ben McDermott, Dilshan Madhushanka, Nahid Rana, Angelo Perera, Sean Dickson, Harshit Kaushik, Ansh Tandon, CP Rizwan, Izharullahaq Naveed, Ackeem Auguste, Murali Vijay, Sharafuddin Ashraf.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
