Bollywood flavour in opening ceremony

SHARJAH — A lively performance by professional dancers and members of the Dhoni Cricket Academy greeted the players and the fans in what was a colourful opening ceremony in the second edition of the T10 League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The opening ceremony was attended by government officials, members of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), team owners and Bollywood celebrities.

The show stopper of the ceremony was Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela.

Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman of the T10 League, was delighted by the support from some of the biggest names in world cricket. “The T10 League has been born in the UAE and it is here to stay and I am grateful to the massive support given to the league by the Emirates Cricket Board, the team owners and all other stakeholders,” he said.

Zahid Hussein, managing partner of Ghalia Group — the title sponsor, said: “We are pleased to support the T10 League, and share the same vision as the promoters of the league. We feel privileged to be associated with such an international tournament.”

West Indies superstar Dwayne Bravo, who will lead the Maratha Arabians in the tournament, predicted a batting feast for the fans at the iconic stadium. “There will be big scores for sure. I expect the batsman to dominate. Don’t be surprised if you see teams putting up 150 in 10 overs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jawad Ghulam Rasool, CEO of the Sindhis team, said the addition of two new teams proves that T10 cricket is on the right track.

“It could be a game changer. A big T20 League normally takes three to four years to add new teams, but we have done it in the second season. That says a lot,” Rasool said.

Eight teams — Kerala Knights, Punjabi Legends, Bengal Tigers, Maratha Arabians, Pakhtoon, Rajputs, Sindhis and Northern Warriors — will vie for the honours in the second season.