Auckland complete line-up for Abu Dhabi T20 trophy

Auckland Aces have been confirmed as the final team to fill the line-up for the inaugural Abu Dhabi T20 Trophy, which is being held at Zayed Cricket Stadium over three days next month.

The New Zealand side, who include Martin Guptill and Colin Monroe among their line-up, will join Pakistan Super League franchise Lahore Qalandars, Hobart Hurricanes from Australia’s Big Bash League, English T20 side Yorkshire Vikings, Afghanistan’s Boost Defenders and South Africa’s Multiply Titans in taking part in the Twenty20 tournament.

The action takes place in Abu Dhabi between October 4-6 and Aref Al Awani, general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports County, believes the Aces will be a major assest to the competition.

“The Aces are a team to be reckoned with being the most successful T20 side in New Zealand with four Super Smash wins to their name.,” said Al Awani.

“They bring an added dimension to a tournament which will see some of the world’s finest T20 cricketers in action.

“We anticipate strong support for the Aces from the sports-mad Kiwi community now resident throughout the UAE and the Gulf.”

Matt Boucher, the acting chief executive of Abu Dhabi Cricket, is confident that now that the full field for the first staging of the contest has been confirmed that interest will continue to grow in the competition ahead of its debut.

“It is another sporting coup for Abu Dhabi and strengthens the UAE capital’s credentials on the global cricketing stage,” Boucher said. “The enthusiasm for the trophy from some of the world’s strongest teams is a huge proof point for our ambitions to make Abu Dhabi a name to be reckoned with in the sport.”

Auckland have been placed in Group B with Boost Defenders and Multiply Titans.

Group A is made up of Yorkshire, Hobart and Lahore.

Auckland will play in the first match of tournament on October 4 when they when take on the Boost Defenders at 4pm. The other game that day is Yorkshire facing Lahore.

On October 5, it will be Hobart v Lahore and Multiply Titans against Boost.

The final group games on October 6 see Yorkshire v Hobart and Auckland v Titans, with the top sides from the two groups then meeting in the final.