Category: Sharjah

Capri Global takes centre stage in WPL

Capri Global takes centre stage among IPL names with Lucknow franchise

Press Release: Capri Global takes centre stage among IPL names with Lucknow franchise: Non-banking financial company picks Lucknow as city of choice for their home base 

Capri Global will join the Indian Premier League (IPL) when its newest version – the Women’s Premier League – takes off later this year.  

Capri GLobal in WPL

The inaugural version of the WPL is a landmark development in the history of Indian cricket, the richest board in the world. The WPL will fetch a total of US$527 million for the governing Board of Control for Cricket in India. 

Five cities were picked by the winners after an auction arranged at short notice in Mumbai with Capri Global picking Lucknow as their choice. Adani Sportsline (Ahmedabad), Mumbai Indians (Mumbai), Royal Challengers Bangalore (Bangalore), Delhi Capitals (New Delhi) are the other owners of the teams. 

“Lucknow holds a special place in the north of India. Although Mumbai remains our corporate headquarters for operational reasons, the northern belt of the country is also equally important from the viewpoint of our customer base,” said Rajesh Sharma, Director of Capri Global Capital Ltd, which also owns the Sharjah Warriors franchise in the inaugural six-team ILT20 being played in the UAE. 

The leading Indian Non-banking Financial Company also owns the Bengal Warriors team in Pro Kabbadi League and the Rajasthan Warriors franchise in KhoKho. 

“Capri Global’s association with WPL has been strategic in achieving our vision of encouraging sports across all strata and genders and establishing a deeper connect with our stakeholders and customers. We believe cricket is the most natural route to further that vision given its history in India,” Sharma said. 

With the amount of sale from franchise and media rights, the WPL will become the second-richest cricketing league behind the IPL only. 

Among women’s team sports in the world, the WPL will take third spot among the richest behind the Women’s NBA and the Super League football in the UK. The auction for players, with seven from overseas allowed, will happen in the first week of February at an undisclosed date yet. Registration for players has started. 

For the moment, Capri Global is content basking in the company of the highest bidder Adani Sportsline as the two non-IPL teams out of the five winners of the day. “We are happy to associate with the Women’s Premier League and extend our vision for sports in India while shining light on the women of India,” Sharma said. “With the Lucknow WPL team, we are extremely proud to be a part of this historic moment in cricket and especially in being able to extend our support to some of the most tremendously talented women in sport.” 

Viacom18 has secured the Women’s Premier League (IPL) media rights value for the 2023-2027 cycle for Rs 951 crores ($2.5 billion). 

Press Release: Rajesh Sharma, Director, Capri Global Capital Limited 

ILT20 UAE Mohammad Nabi Sharjah Warriors

Exclusive Interview: Mohammad Nabi leads ILT20’s ‘Local’ Afghan contingent at Sharjah Warriors

Mohammad Nabi Sharjah Warriors

Mohammad Nabi leads ILT20’s ‘local’ Afghan contingent at Sharjah Warriors

  • All-rounder assured new league will set high standards in world franchise cricket

Sharjah, December 28: If there was ever a torch-bearer of the indomitable Afghan spirit on the cricket field, Mohammad Nabi will be the best choice. And the all-rounder is invoking the strong community presence in the UAE to come out in full support for Sharjah Warriors when the International League T20 tournament marks its debut on January 13.

The veteran statesman goes by the nickname “Mr President” given his stature as a leader of the team which has risen remarkably in the past decade and also played an aggressive brand of cricket. It took only four years for Afghanistan elevate from Associate nation status to a Full member within the International Cricket Council, and Nabi was captain of the team on the field for most of that period.

Nabi, 37, still wears his passion on his sleeve and gave up captaincy of his national team after the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in November. Sharjah Warriors captain Moeen Ali can count on his expertise when the team takes the field especially at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium where the Afghan contingent of Nabi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Noor Ahmad are guaranteed boisterous support.

Sharjah is also a second home, literally, for Nabi where he trains while living in the neighbouring emirate of Ajman. Excerpts from a free-wheeling interview with the cricketer:

 

1) There’s lot of T20 cricket ahead for you with the ILT20 league starting in January. How excited are you to be part of the Sharjah Warriors under Moeen Ali?

The League is happening for the first time. And we are all hoping it reaches great heights. The team at Sharjah Warriors has also shaped well and seems a great combination which is a perfect fit for the conditions here in the UAE.

2) How do you see the composition of the Sharjah Warriors squad and your initial impression of the league as it is shaping up?

We have good batsmen. In the bowling department also, there is a lot of talent and even variety. I think we are a solid, all-round side and we can do well in the conditions which are more local to us then compared to the competition.

3) Among Asian players in UAE’s conditions which are similar to the subcontinent, the Afghanistan players are in demand and hot property for the ILT20. Do you think it is just the conditions’ advantage or it also reflects on the rising stock of Afghanistan in world cricket?

It is both. The conditions suit us well here. Afghan players are playing everywhere in the world. We have few playing in the Big Bash of Australia currently. Some of us are just back from the Lanka Premier League. We have played in the Pakistan Super League. And now here in the ILT20, the trend should continue. We are also used to playing here in the UAE, we Afghans should do well at the top level.

4) Wearing a captain’s hat, what kind of roles and in what situations do you see for your Sharjah teammates: a) Naveen-ul-Haq b) Rahmanullah Gurbaz and c) Noor Ahmad

Everyone is a good pick if I was the selector. Naveen-ul-Haq has good variations as a fast bowler and he has shown good pace while bowling for Afghanistan. Gurbaz is a power hitter who likes to go over the top. He can give the team a good start and put us in good positions. The chinaman deliveries of Noor can be difficult to tackle in these conditions. If he gets going, he can single-handedly run through the opposition.

5) Afghanistan will play all international cricket again for the next five years. You have always been playing here if not training in India. Does that make Afghan players count as local players in the ILT20?

You can say that. We all have been using the UAE as our home base for many years now; I have been living here (in Ajman) for two years now. So yes, we can be counted as a local only in a manner of speaking.

6) You were the first Afghan player to be bought at the IPL auction (by Sunrisers Hyderabad) but played only three matches. You reckon you were underused by Sunrisers?

I got an opportunity through Sunrisers Hyderabad and grateful for that but I also did not get more opportunities after that. I was at my peak then I even performed well in a match but used to get dropped in the next one. It was difficult to cement your place in the team in the conditions prevalent then. Then there was Rashid Khan also with in the team with me and it was difficult to incorporate two spinners especially from overseas.

7) You have an experience to play in the IPL for four years. Afghanistan team has trained in India for a few years. Is it an advantage for your side with the ICC World Cup 2023 being played there?

Definitely. Apart from the familiarity, the conditions in India are pretty similar to what us Afghan players play and practice in. It is a great opportunity for us to do well at the World Cup.

8) There is a lot of talent in the Indian team but have missed out on winning the silverware at the World Cups or even the Asia Cup held in the UAE … what could be the reason?

Winning or losing is no parameter. If there are 2-3 teams that are ready to be spun out as a competitive national side, there is nothing to worry. And India has that kind of talent.

9) Afghanistan has qualified for 2023 ODI World Cup ahead of even teams such as South Africa. Is it a vindication of the talent in Afghanistan and how do you see the team’s progress parallelly in white-ball cricket?

Surely there is a lot of talent among us. Back home even on the benchstrength I can see a good lot of talented cricketers waiting in the wings and capable of doing well on the big stage. Our qualification for the World Cup has been also down to some strategic planning and acting on it. We had planned well in advance and targeted the key series in which we had to whitewash the opposition and which we acted upon as per the plan.

10) Sharjah has a lot of fan following for Afghans. How do you see the Sharjah Warriors and the fans rooting for you as genuine local supporter base in the home-and-away basis of the league?

I think we have seven or eight games in Sharjah so it should be good to play in front of our fans. I would request everyone to come out in large numbers and support Sharjah Warriors. I am sure they will come, Inshallah.

ILT20 International League T20 UAE

ILT20: International League T20

ILT20: International League T20 Dates, Venue, Teams, Owners, Telecast Into and more information about all you need to know.

International League T20: The Emirates Cricket Board will conduct the inaugural International League T20 from January 6 to February 12, 2023, with three IPL franchises owning outfits in the six-team league.

The sixteam franchise-style League will be played over a 34-match schedule at world-renowned, world-class venues in UAE.

The much-anticipated UAE T20 league, featuring 6 teams from some of the renowned franchise owners in cricket, has been named International League T20. The inaugural edition of the league will be played from January 6 to February 12.

Countries United Arab Emirates
Administrator Emirates Cricket Board
Format 20-over cricket
First edition 2022–23
Tournament format Round-robin and playoffs
Number of teams 6

Teams

The following teams and their owners were announced as taking part in the tournament:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders · Dubai Capitals · Gulf Giants · MI Emirates · Sharjah Warriors · Desert Vipers

Rules

Eight out of eleven players on each team can be overseas players, which will be significantly higher than the four or five overseas-player-limit of other major T20 leagues.

International League T20 Venue

International League T20 scheduled venues and cities are Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah.

  1. Dubai International Stadium, Dubai
  2. Sheik Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
  3. Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

ECB Statement about ILT20

“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,” the Emirates Cricket Board said in a statement.

UAE T20 League to get underway from January 6 in 2023 till February 12, 2023 and tournament will be clash with BBL, BPL

ILT20 Franchise

The ILT20 is certainly going to attract big names as Reliance Strategic Business Ventures, a subsidiary of the owners of Mumbai Indians, the Knight Riders, the owners of the Kolkata Knight Riders, the GMR group, who co-own Delhi Capitals, Capri Global, Lancer Capital, owners of Manchester United Premier League club, and Adani Sportsline are set to own a team each.

ILT20 Media Rights

Broadcasters: In May 2021, Essel Group owned Zee Entertainment Enterprises bought the media rights of this league for ten years at a cost of US$120 million.

Zee bags media rights for UAE T20 league globally. The league will air exclusively on Zee’s linear channels as well as its OTT platform Zee5

Zee has bagged global media rights contract with UAE T20 cricketing league. UAE’s T20 League today announced the signing of a long-term global media rights’ contract with Zee. The league will air exclusively on Zee’s linear channels as well as its OTT platform Zee5 across the world.

UAE T20 League matches will air across Zee’s 10 linear channels in the HSM (Hindi Speaking Markets), South and East regions in English, Hindi, and Tamil languages. The League will also be simultaneously streamed Live on Zee5, and on radio globally.

His Highness Sheikh Al Nahayan, ECB

“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,” Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said.

“Such illustrious, experienced names and entities as partners bode 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.

“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.”