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T10 League: Deccan Gladiators ready to take the league by storm

Finalists of the 2019 T10 League tournament, Deccan Gladiators will be looking to go one better when the tournament kicks off on January 28, 2021. The league, held in Abu Dhabi every year since its inception in 2017, has established itself as one of the most exciting ones with its wide pool of talents and the short nature of the format.

The Gladiators appeared in the tournament for the first time last year replacing the now defunct Sindhis, with Shane Watson as their captain and made it to the final before falling against the Maratha Arabians. This time around they’ve strengthened their squad at the drafts which was held on the 23rd of December. Their icon player for the year is West Indies spinner Sunil Narine.

Deccan Gladiators possess the firepower to challenge for the title

Apart from icon player Sunil Narine, there are his fellow West Indian teammates Kieron Pollard and Ravi Rampaul in the mix. Opener Mohammad Shahzad from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa are explosive batters who can influence a game’s outcome on their own, more so in a short format like the T10. Other Sri Lankans like Wanindu Hasaranga and Lahiru Kumara are ones to watch out for as well.

The Gladiators have no problem with regard to the spin department as they have the ever-reliable Imran Tahir. Tahir’s fellow countryman Colin Ingram and Pakistan’s Azam Khan are players capable of producing the fireworks as well. Apart from the plethora of big names, there are other talented and promising cricketers who will look to make their name and announce themselves at the T10 League.

To add to the talented players, the Gladiators have an assured coach in former Pakistani cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed. The side certainly seems to have all bases covered. With an abundance of big-hitting batsmen and reliable bowlers, they will fancy their chances of getting their hands on the coveted title this year.

Abu Dhabi T10 League tables: Group A and B

Results and fixtures

Friday, November 15

Northern Warriors beat Maratha Arabians by 9 wickets

Delhi Bulls beat Deccan Gladiators by 7 wickets

Team Abu Dhabi v Qalandars match tied

Saturday, November 16

Deccan Gladiators beat Bangla Tigers by 6 wickets

Karnataka Tuskers beat Delhi Red Bulls by 19 runs

Qalandars beat Northern Warriors by 66 runs

Sunday, November 17

Team Abu Dhabi beat Northern Warriors by 6 wickets

Bangla Tigers beat Karnataka Tuskers by 5 wickets

Maratha Arabians beat Qalandars by 47 runs

Monday, November 18

Deccan Gladiators v Karnataka Tuskers, 3.30pm

Team Abu Dhabi v Maratha Arbians, 5.45pm

Delhi Bulls v Bangla Tigers, 8pm

Tuesday, November 19

Deccan Gladiators beat Qalandars by 24 runs

Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by six wickets

Bangla Tigers beat Team Abu Dhabi by 27 runs

Wednesday, November 20

Karnataka Tuskers v Maratha Arabians, 3.30pm

Bangla Tigers v Northern Warriors, 5.45pm

Deccan Gladiators v Team Abu Dhabi, 8pm

Thursday, November 21

Delhi Bulls v Maratha Arabians, 3.30pm

Karnataka Tuskers v Qalandars, 5.45pm

Deccan Gladiators v Northern Warriors, 8pm

Friday, November 22

Delhi Bulls v Qalandars, 3.30pm

Bangla Tigers v Maratha Arabians, 5.45pm

Karnataka Tuskers v Team Abu Dhabi, 8pm

Saturday, November 23

Qualifier 1, 3.30pm

Eliminator, 5.45pm

Qualifier 2, 8pm

Sunday, November 24

Third place play-off, 3.30pm

Final, 8pm

Abu Dhabi: Deccan Gladiators skipper Shane Watson seems to be getting better with age.

After his unbeaten knock of 57 went on vain in the opening match of the Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10 match on Friday to Delhi Bulls, the 38-year-old Australian — who retired from international cricket three years ago — hit a brilliant 41 off 25 balls with three boundaries and three sixes to ensure a six-wicket win over Bangla Tigers.

Man of the match Watson said later: “It’s a relief to get off the mark. We played well in the last game (against Delhi Bulls) but could not win. Got a couple of things wrong, but to put it right tonight was pleasing. Wicket played truer today, more value for shots.”

Watson admitted that to chase a target of over 10 runs an over is not easy. “I wouldn’t say it was an easy target when you have to get 10 runs an over or over 10 runs an over. It is never easy in a 10-over game. Obviously, we got off to a good start with Anton Devcich and me building a really good partnership. But even at 10 an over, you still to keep hitting the boundaries. So, it worked out well in the end.”

Will winning the toss and batting second be a winning trend then? “You don’t want to tell the team that (smile). If you lose the toss you don’t want to feel like you are out of the game. But there’s no doubt from a mentality point of view to be able to understand how many you got to get and there are only 10 overs, it definitely is an advantage. That’s definitely not to say that you can’t set a really good total and then it is just too many for the opposition to be able to chase. The more you get used to the conditions, batting second does help. But you don’t want it to be a fatal thing when you actually lose the toss.”

Bengal Tigers skipper Thisara Perera is disappointed that they lost the match despite posting a good total. “It was a good score to defend but a couple of big overs in between cost us the game. At one stage of our inning, we thought we could get around 120 but it was still a good target to defend. We had some pretty good bowlers yet it didn’t go our way. Hopefully we win our next game.”

Brief scores: (Match 1) Deccan Gladiators bt Bangla Tigers by six wkts. Deccan Gladiators 108 for 5 in 10 overs (Colin Ingram 37, Rilee Rossouw 26, Migael Pretorius 3 for 10) Deccan Gladiators: 109 for 4 in 9.5 overs (Shane Watson 41, Anton Devcich 27 David Wiese 2 for 15).

Man of the Match: Shane Watson (Deccan Gladiators)

Abu Dhabi: Deccan Gladiators skipper Shane Watson seems to be getting better with age.

After his unbeaten knock of 57 went on vain in the opening match of the Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10 match on Friday to Delhi Bulls, the 38-year-old Australian — who retired from international cricket three years ago — hit a brilliant 41 off 25 balls with three boundaries and three sixes to ensure a six-wicket win over Bangla Tigers.

Man of the match Watson said later: “It’s a relief to get off the mark. We played well in the last game (against Delhi Bulls) but could not win. Got a couple of things wrong, but to put it right tonight was pleasing. Wicket played truer today, more value for shots.”

Watson admitted that to chase a target of over 10 runs an over is not easy. “I wouldn’t say it was an easy target when you have to get 10 runs an over or over 10 runs an over. It is never easy in a 10-over game. Obviously, we got off to a good start with Anton Devcich and me building a really good partnership. But even at 10 an over, you still to keep hitting the boundaries. So, it worked out well in the end.”

Will winning the toss and batting second be a winning trend then? “You don’t want to tell the team that (smile). If you lose the toss you don’t want to feel like you are out of the game. But there’s no doubt from a mentality point of view to be able to understand how many you got to get and there are only 10 overs, it definitely is an advantage. That’s definitely not to say that you can’t set a really good total and then it is just too many for the opposition to be able to chase. The more you get used to the conditions, batting second does help. But you don’t want it to be a fatal thing when you actually lose the toss.”

Bengal Tigers skipper Thisara Perera is disappointed that they lost the match despite posting a good total. “It was a good score to defend but a couple of big overs in between cost us the game. At one stage of our inning, we thought we could get around 120 but it was still a good target to defend. We had some pretty good bowlers yet it didn’t go our way. Hopefully we win our next game.”

Brief scores: (Match 1) Deccan Gladiators bt Bangla Tigers by six wkts. Deccan Gladiators 108 for 5 in 10 overs (Colin Ingram 37, Rilee Rossouw 26, Migael Pretorius 3 for 10) Deccan Gladiators: 109 for 4 in 9.5 overs (Shane Watson 41, Anton Devcich 27 David Wiese 2 for 15).

Man of the Match: Shane Watson (Deccan Gladiators)

(Match 2) Karnataka Tuskers bt Delhi Bulls by 19 runs. Karnataka Tuskers 110 for 5 in 10 overs (Upul Tharanga 48, Shafiqullah Shafiq 34, Ravi Rampaul 2 for 16) Delhi Bulls 91 for 8 in 10 overs (Eoin Morgan 21, Angelo Mathews 31, Nathan Rimmington 3 for 28, Pat Brown 2 for 19, Ahmed Raza 2 for 11).

The newest T10 League franchise owner is resigned to losing England Ashes star Jofra Archer from his ranks, but says Shane Watson will be back when the tournament returns in November.

The 10-over competition will stage its third season later this year, when it moves from Sharjah to the capital and is renamed Abu Dhabi T10.

Despite boasting players like Archer, Watson, Colin de Grandhomme and Thisara Perera, Sindhis finished last of the eight teams in Season 2 last December.

The problems were many for the franchise. They had been known as Karachians in the inaugural edition in 2017. However, a court order in Pakistan blocked the use of that name of the eve of the second tournament, as a consequence of a dispute with the erstwhile president of the league, Salman Iqbal.

The switch happened so late that the previous name had to be spray painted over on the official branding around Sharjah Cricket Stadium, even after the play had been started. It also prompted the withdrawal of the team’s owner.

Gaurav Grover, an Indian IT businessman, took over the running of the franchise midway through the competition.

It was too late to effect the side’s progress back then, but he is confident his team, which has been newly re-branded as Deccan Gladiators, will be vying for honours in Season 3.

The side will retain Watson, who was captain last season, although Archer will be absent as England will be on tour in New Zealand at the time.

“We want big names, whoever is available in the draft, but it is all about strategy,” Grover said.

“We have retained a few players, like the legendary Shane Watson, as well as Anton Devcich and Ben Cutting.

“We have plans, and we are looking to have more talent coming in from India, and if they are available we will definitely hire them.

“I’m not sure whether we will win it or not, as it will be a tough competition, but we will put everything into it.

“We can perform much better than last year. Sindhis were at the bottom of the table last time, but we are aiming for finals this time.”

Grover is hopeful of recruiting players from India, even though the game’s administrators rarely permit their players to play in leagues overseas.

Shaji Ul Mulk, the T10 chairman, said last month that the league have been in talks about recruiting recently retired Indian internationals like Yuvraj Singh and Ambati Rayudu for this season.

“This is the only league where you will see ex-India players playing with current Pakistan players,” Grover said.

“You will only ever see Indian and Pakistani players in opposition, not playing together. This will be different cricket altogether.”

Indian tycoon Gaurav Grover has recently acquired the newest team of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, The Deccan Gladiators. The Deccan Gladiators is led by Shane Watson and is packed with young blood under the expert wisdom of their senior international players. Team owner Gaurav Grover is an enterprising young IT tycoon who is known for his work, investment, and contributions to the field in India. He has garnered a vast experience of over a decade and a half across diverse technical areas like BPOs, IT services, and Software Development. Gaurav has made several investments in the hospitality and entertainment sectors in the USA and UAE as well. After buying the franchise, Gaurav has revamped his team entirely and made it his own. After the first two seasons of the league where they were known as the Sindhis, the team has been remodelled under the new ownership to further reflect upon their values and virtues under a new name and its true spirit. Led by a world-class Australian player and comprising of enterprising international talent, The Deccan Gladiators are young, passionate, skilled, and hungry to win the title in the shortest format of the game.

“Being a cricket fanatic myself, I always wanted to have my own dream cricket team. It is my passion for the game and investment strategy that has resulted in fulfilling my dream in the form of Deccan Gladiators.” Said Gaurav Grover after his latest investment.  Enriched with his beliefs and perseverance, the Deccan Gladiators is continuously charged up with the young owner’s enthusiasm and his faith in them. A new entrant in cricket business, Gaurav wants to establish himself and his team as a winning contender in the real sense, and he finds his love for the game continually pushing him to contribute towards various areas in which his team needs support to grow their skills and gameplay.

Press Release

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, (AETOSWire) – Indian tycoon Gaurav Grover has recently acquired the newest team of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, The Deccan Gladiators. The Deccan Gladiators is led by Shane Watson and is packed with young blood under the expert wisdom of their senior international players. Team owner Gaurav Grover is an enterprising young IT tycoon who is known for his work, investment, and contributions to the field in India. He has garnered a vast experience of over a decade and a half across diverse technical areas like BPOs, IT services, and Software Development. Gaurav has made several investments in the hospitality and entertainment sectors in the USA and UAE as well. After buying the franchise, Gaurav has revamped his team entirely and made it his own. After the first two seasons of the league where they were known as the Sindhis, the team has been remodelled under the new ownership to further reflect upon their values and virtues under a new name and its true spirit. Led by a world-class Australian player and comprising of enterprising international talent, The Deccan Gladiators are young, passionate, skilled, and hungry to win the title in the shortest format of the game.

“Being a cricket fanatic myself, I always wanted to have my own dream cricket team. It is my passion for the game and investment strategy that has resulted in fulfilling my dream in the form of Deccan Gladiators.” Said Gaurav Grover after his latest investment.  Enriched with his beliefs and perseverance, the Deccan Gladiators is continuously charged up with the young owner’s enthusiasm and his faith in them. A new entrant in cricket business, Gaurav wants to establish himself and his team as a winning contender in the real sense, and he finds his love for the game continually pushing him to contribute towards various areas in which his team needs support to grow their skills and gameplay.

About Deccan Gladiators

An all-new team with the same old prowess, precision, and passion – presenting the Deccan Gladiators. Taking the experience and learnings from when they were called the Sindhus and mixing it in a melting pot with a brand-new approach and strategy solidified to form the current team of the Deccan Gladiators.

Revamping themselves for the third edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, the team led by Shane Watson believes in playing every match like it’s a do or die battle. This leads to a sense of thirst during every game that is inherent in every member of the team and is only quenched after each win.

Packed with young blood under the expert wisdom of their senior international players, the Deccan Gladiators are here to build a legacy of their own in the T10 format. The team that they have scored is a global one that continuously self-corrects and improves itself with constructive feedback that international players from various cricket playing countries are able to offer each other internally.

*Source: AETOSWire

Abu Dhabi and T10 League will benefit. Abu Dhabi will be better platform for T10 as the government is involved for the first time and in a big way, Vyas said

Team owners of Abu Dhabi T10 League are confident the tournament, with involvement of government entities, will be a win-win deal for all involved partners.

Rajputs co-owner Vijay Vyas felt the tournament will bring more tourists and recognition to Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi and T10 League will benefit. Abu Dhabi will be better platform for T10 as the government is involved for the first time and in a big way,” Vyas told Khaleej Times on Wednesday.

“It is an added advantage. Abu Dhabi T10 matches will be shown live in about 122 countries. Our team promotion will be merged with the events held by Abu Dhabi government. So we all do benefit from this partnership. Even players, who are so used to playing in Sharjah and Dubai, are excited about Abu Dhabi,” he said.

Vyas has toured the Zayed Cricket Stadium, the tournament venue, and felt players will be tested in Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi pitches are different to Sharjah stadium (previous venue for 2017, 2018). Boundaries are long compared to Sharjah and you need real power hitters. This is a real cricketing place. Team composition will be crucial,” he said. Meanwhile, Maratha Arabians co-owner Parvez Khan said hosting the tournament in Abu Dhabi added value to the T10 League.

“With the government involvement, I firmly believe this will be the most organised T10 cricket league,” Khan said.

Khan revealed that he is looking to add new players from India.

“Lots of Indian players have retired. Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan and there are more such players. We are also looking to develop Emirates Cricket Board. We will bring new players from not just India but Pakistan and Bangladesh too. This will not only support our League but the UAE players too as they can make it to the national team.”

Khan has plans of starting a cricket academy in Abu Dhabi and invite students for sessions with his players.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

T10 team rebranding in full swing

The T10 League has not only got new partners in the third edition but teams are set for revamp too.

Bengal Tigers, owned by brothers Rizwan and Anis Sajan and Neelesh Bhatnagar, have sought to be renamed as Delhi Bulls.

“There could be few changes in names subject to approval from the ICC,” T10 League owner Shaji ul Mulk said. A new team, Gujarati Panthers, co-owned by Ali Asfaq and Nader Adam Aly, are likely to enter the fray, but the finer details are still being worked out.

Indian businessman Gaurav Grover has acquired Sindhis and wants to rename it Deccan Gladiators.

“The T10 League format is available only in the UAE. I believe this will be shortly opted for in Commonwealth Games and Olympics because this is just a 90-minute format. Backed with my love for the sport and my future cricket academy plans in UAE, it certainly seemed like a good decision to enter the cricket scene in this region,” Grover said in an email interview with Khaleej Times.

Meanwhile, Shaji ul Mulk is set to retain Kerala Knights.

Shahbaz Ilyas and Mohammed Morani remain co-owners of Northern Warriors.

Ashwani Kumar

After a scintillating ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, global cricket fever is set to sweep the UAE as a sensational roster of cricket superstars prepares to take the pitch at Zayed Cricket Stadium for the Abu Dhabi T10 from November 15 to 24, 2019.

The third season of the T10 League is set to boast the most impressive collection of talent so far, headlined by several international cricket captains and newly minted World Cup heroes. The star-studded line-up is set to include England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan;
Pakistani favourite Shoaib Malik; West Indies captain Darren Sammy; Sri Lankan duo Angelo Matthews and fast-bowler Lasith Malinga; Australian favourites Shane Watson and Cameron White; Afghanistan’s big-hitting Mohammad Shahzad; and West Indians Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo – all putting their hands up for team selection in the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 draft.

His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, commented: “Up and down the Abu Dhabi T10 roster you will find world-class talent, big personalities and the best possible ambassadors of the game. We could not be happier at the timing of this partnership to bring the brightest stars in cricket to the UAE, such as Eoin Morgan.”

Eoin Morgan paid homage to the T10 league and reiterated his fondness for the format by comparing it to his England team’s recent success on the world’s highest cricket stage: “I heard from a lot of parents that this year’s (ICC Cricket World Cup) was the first one they could enjoy with their sons or daughters. Kids are discovering the joy of cricket all over again. Well, the T10 is brilliant for bringing kids and first-time fans into the stadium, where you’ve got all the stars, all the action and all the glamour you could hope for. It’s just brilliant for the future of cricket all around.” Former West Indies Captain Darren Sammy, shared a similarly positive outlook towards the tournament and its new home: “Abu Dhabi is a fantastic choice to host the T10. There’s a mixed audience with plenty of support for cricket. Everything is top-class, so I’ve no doubt the Abu Dhabi T10 will be a smashing success,” he said.

The breakthrough 10-over format boils down all of the cricket tactics and drama into 60 balls per side and 90 minutes of action. This fan-friendly version of cricket is the brainchild of T10 Sports Management Group Founder and Chairman, Shaji Ul Mulk.

“The game is changing as evidenced by the phenomenal success of T20,” said Shaji Ul Mulk. “This recent (ICC Cricket) World Cup was also the most-watched ever. However, in order to continue to grow, it’s critical to showcase the best stars on big stages outside India, England and Australia, where it is already hugely popular.

“That’s why partnering with the Government of Abu Dhabi to host T10 on a long-term basis is a natural win-win for everybody who will now get to experience unparalleled cricket action in a truly unforgettable atmosphere.”

Abu Dhabi T10 builds on the surging popularity of the global game and is the first-ever 10-over league in the world to receive the full backing and sanction of both the International Cricket Council and the Emirates Cricket Board. The eight teams (Kerala Knights, Bengal Tigers, Northern Warriors, Pakhtoon, Deccan Gladiators, Punjabi Legends, Maratha Arabians and Rajput) are readying themselves for the Abu Dhabi T10 draft, slated for mid-September, to determine their full tournament line-ups.

Abu Dhabi Cricket CEO, Matt Boucher, noted; “We feel we’ve bolstered the capital’s glowing portfolio of world-class events by ensuring that Abu Dhabi becomes a must-see ticket on the global cricket calendar for the next five years and what this means for the growth of the sport in the region. It’s another big stride in the growth of cricket in Abu Dhabi and we’re grateful to both the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council for making this happen.”

Saeed Al Saeed, Director of Destination Marketing at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said, “We are really looking forward to welcoming cricket fans, both those based in the UAE and those from overseas, for the Abu Dhabi T10, so they can discover for themselves what our extraordinary destination has to offer.”

Even more players and big-names will continue to be announced in the lead up to the Abu Dhabi T10 draft event, scheduled for mid-September.

About T10 League

T10 League is a professional ten-over format cricket league launched by T10 Sports Management and licensed by the Emirates Cricket Board and approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of international cricket. It is the first ever internationally approved ten-over format league.
Matches have 10-over-a-side format and duration of 45 minutes a side totalling 90 minutes of play. The tournament is played over ten days, with a round robin followed by semi-finals and the final. The 2017 edition was played from 14-17 December at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In August 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially sanctioned the league.

The 2nd Season of the T10 League added two more teams to expand the tournament. As a result, the T10 League expanded to 29 matches spread across ten days.

Abu Dhabi: After a scintillating World Cup 2019, global cricket fever is set to sweep the UAE as a sensational roster of cricket superstars prepare to take the pitch at the Zayed Cricket Stadium for the Abu Dhabi T10 League from November 15 to 24.

The third season of the T10 League will be headlined by several international cricket captains and newly minted World Cup heroes. The star-studded line-up is set to include Eoin Morgan, Shoaib Malik, Darren Sammy, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Shane Watson and Cameron White, Mohammad Shahzad, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo — all putting their hands up for team selection in the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 draft.

Commenting on the league, Morgan said: “I heard from a lot of parents that this year’s (ICC World Cup) was the first one they could enjoy with their sons or daughters. Kids are discovering the joy of cricket all over again. Well, the T10 is brilliant for bringing kids and first-time fans into the stadium, where you’ve got all the stars, all the action and all the glamour you could hope for. It’s just brilliant for the future of cricket all around.”

Former West Indies captain Sammy shared a similarly positive outlook towards the tournament and its new home.

“Abu Dhabi is a fantastic choice to host the T10. There’s a mixed audience with plenty of support for cricket. Everything is top-class, so I’ve no doubt the Abu Dhabi T10 will be a smashing success,” he said.

The 10-over format boils down all of the cricket tactics and drama into 60 balls per side and 90 minutes of action. This fan-friendly version of cricket is the brainchild of T10 Sports Management Group Founder and Chairman Shaji Ul Mulk.

“The game is changing as evidenced by the phenomenal success of T20,” said Mulk.

“This recent World Cup was also the most-watched ever. However, in order to continue to grow, it’s critical to showcase the best stars on big stages outside India, England and Australia, where it is already hugely popular.”

Even more players and big-names will continue to be announced in the lead up to the Abu Dhabi T10 draft event, scheduled for mid-September.

Matches have 10-over-a-side format and duration of 45 minutes a side totaling 90 minutes of play. The tournament is played over ten days, with a round-robin followed by semi-finals and the final.

The 2017 edition was played from 14-17 December at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In August 2018, the ICC officially sanctioned the league.

The second season of the league added two more teams to expand the tournament. As a result, the T10 League expanded to 29 matches spread across 10 days.