Skky Strikers buy NY AD T10 franchise
ABU DHABI: US’ Skky Strikers announced on Monday that they have acquired a franchise in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, which will be called the New York Strikers.
The enigmatic let-hander Yuvraj Singh has been brought on board as the Team Mentor. He was previously part of the Abu Dhabi T10 league in 2019.
The franchise has brought in Kieron Pollard as their Icon player and also signed England’s 2019 ODI World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan as their Platinum player. Azam Khan, from Pakistan, and Ireland’s Paul Stirling are the two Category A players signed by the franchise.
The addition of the New York Strikers to the tournament makes it an 8-team competition, with two teams joining the bandwagon from the US.
The Strikers franchise has had a successful stint as a cricket franchise in the US, and hope to spread its wings in other parts of the world as well with well-known leagues such as the Abu Dhabi T10.
Elated to be part of the Abu Dhabi T10, the Strikers franchise owner Sagar Khanna said, “It is an extremely exciting time for our franchise as the Abu Dhabi T10 is unique and highly competitive, bringing together elite players from across the globe. It gives us the perfect opportunity to compete against the elites of cricket and test ourselves out.”
“We have had some amount of success in the US and we are keen to carry on in that vein over here also. As a franchise, we will do whatever it takes to ensure this is a memorable tournament for our fans and the family overall.”
Speaking on the signings, Sagar said, “Kieron Pollard and Eoin Morgan are among the biggest names in white-ball cricket.
“Both are extremely dangerous players and we have no doubt that their leadership qualities will be extremely essential for our camp going forward. Both Pollard and Morgan strike fear in the opposition team’s minds, and we like that thought.”
“Paul Stirling and Azam Khan are very destructive baters, who can turn a game on its head very rapidly. The four players represent a strong and hardworking core, which is very much along the lines of our philosophy.”
The Abu Dhabi T10 will kick off on Nov.23 and will be a two-week long tournament that will see international cricket stars compete in a short and exciting 10-over format.
The New York Strikers are the second team from the US who will be participating in the Abu Dhabi T10 and will help highlight the growing quality of cricket in America.
Earlier, the Abu Dhabi T10 announces the appointment of Rajeev Khanna as the Chief Operating Officer for the upcoming season of the tournament, wherein he will be responsible for the overall management and the competition’s operations.
Khanna, who is a former cricket player, has been a pioneer in the field of sports management.
He has converted his passion for sports into a world-class career with tenures at some of the world’s most exciting leagues such as the Indian Premier League, Pro Kabaddi League and International Tennis Premier League.
Khanna has been working in the IPL since 2009. He has served as the COO of Punjab Kings and
Rajasthan Royals, Vice-president of Rajasthan Royals, and currently as a Consultant for Rajasthan Royals. Through the years, he has been able to bring about phenomenal change in the ways of sports management at the highest stage.
Speaking about taking fresh guard, Khanna expressed, “The Abu Dhabi T10 is the most exhilarating cricket tournament in the world and therefore I am very excited to join the bandwagon as the COO of the competition.
I will definitely look to ensure that the legacy of the tournament continues grow exponentially and becomes an even bigger atraction for the stars of the game in the future.”