TEAM CAPSULES

▶ MARATHA ARABIANS

Leading player Virender Sehwag (India) – The only Indian player of note in the league, Sehwag has not played since the Masters Champions League in the UAE last year.

Top pick Mohammed Amir (Pakistan) – The storied left-arm pace bowler was the first player recruited at the draft, on a yacht in Dubai Marina last month.

UAE hopeful Zahoor Khan. Shaiman Anwar, the UAE’s most experienced batsman, is the other locally-based Arabians player, but seamer Zahoor might have more chances.

▶ BENGAL LIONS

Leading player Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan) – Sarfraz has not played many significant innings of late. Most things he has done as captain have turned to gold, though.

Top pick David Miller (South Africa) – Sunil Narine was the first draft pick for Bengal. When he opted out, they managed to secure a high-pedigree – if not like for like – replacement in David Miller.

UAE hopeful Mohammed Naveed. The pace bowler has the best T20 international economy rate of anyone apart from Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan in the past two years.

▶ KERALA KINGS

Leading player Eoin Morgan (England) – En route to Australia where he will captain England’s limited-overs team, he will get his eye in in Sharjah first.

Top pick Kieron Pollard (West Indies) – The Trinidadian strongman has made a career out of pyrotechnic cameos in the shortest formats of the game

UAE hopeful Rohan Mustafa. A major force behind the national team’s remarkable renaissance in 2017, Mustafa is looking forward to playing for his hero, Morgan.

▶ PAKHTOONS

Leading player Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) ▼ – It almost feels as though Afridi’s retirement was so keenly felt, they invented a new format just to keep him going.

Top pick Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) – Now world renown thanks to his Champions Trophy exploits with Pakistan, but he first forged his name on these pitches in the PSL.

UAE hopeful Amjad Javed. The pace bowler was stellar for the UAE in the Asia Cup T20 in Bangladesh last year. Now back on a similar stage, he could thrive.

▶ PUNJABI LEGENDS

Leading player Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) – Despite his indifferent time as a captain in PSL, Malik was trusted to lead the Punjabi side in the first T10.

Top pick Hasan Ali (Pakistan) – The top ranked one-day international bowler in the world, and a savvy practitioner in UAE conditions.

UAE hopeful Ghulam Shabber. The powerful left-handed wicket-keeper batsman has been in fine form with the bat for the UAE in his debut season.

▶ TEAM SRI LANKA CRICKET

The side will be led by Dinesh Chandimal, and made up exclusively of players from Sri Lanka.