Abu Dhabi, 23 November (IANS). Bangla Tigers captain Shakib Al Hasan believes that the Abu Dhabi T10 has evolved as a competition over the years and has been successful in attracting the attention of the best players in the world.
A number of international superstar players including Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Matthew Wade and Rashid Khan are participating in the ongoing 2024 edition of the Abu Dhabi T10, which is the eighth edition of the league.
Shakib’s statement came after his team lost to New York Strikers by seven wickets in the second match of the season at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. Despite the defeat, the bowling performances of Shakib and his teammate and Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan stood out for their team as they troubled the opposition in a low-scoring match.
After the match, the former Bangladesh captain said, “The spinners got help on the pitch today. They bowled really well. All the spinners will get some help. As far as T10 is concerned, it has come a long way. All the big players want to participate in it. If you see all the big names coming to Abu Dhabi, it is a great platform to play good competitive cricket.”
Shakib praised the level of talent currently playing in the competition and said it reflected the challenges of the T10 format.
He said, “In such a short format, everyone will be looking for the bowlers. It does not matter whether it is a fast bowler or a spinner. Everyone should be on their feet. At the moment, the spinners are bowling well. At night time, there may be dew and that will help the batsmen.”
He further said, “To play T10, you need skilled players. There is a very limited time and during that time you have to build your pace. You need to concentrate on every ball. This season we have All are skilled players.”
This is the second season for Shakib in the Abu Dhabi T10 since 2022. Earlier, he led the Tigers as captain in the 2022 season and his team reached the final. Under his guidance, Bangla Tigers are hoping to win their first trophy in Abu Dhabi after winning the Jim Afro T10 Trophy earlier this year.
–IANS
AMJ/ABM
