The Abu Dhabi T10 League returns for its fifth edition and The Cricketer has all the information you need to know
The fifth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, a 10-over franchise league run by the Emirates Cricket Board.
The 2021-22 T10 League begins on Friday, November 19 when Delhi Bulls take on defending champions Northern Warriors at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The two-week tournament runs for 35 matches, culminating in the final on Saturday, December 4.
The entire tournament will be staged at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
There are six teams involved in the fifth edition of the T10 League. They are Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Delhi Bulls, Northern Warriors, Team Abu Dhabi and new side Chennai Braves. The Braves have replaced Maratha Arabians, Qalandars and Pune Devils as the tournament has shrunk from eight to six teams.
Northern Warriors are the most successful side in the competition’s history, winning the title in 2018 and 2021. Defunct franchises Kerala Kings and Maratha Arabians lifted the trophy in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Deccan Gladiators (2019) and Delhi Bulls (2021) have each reached the final on one occasion.
Last season's leading wicket-taker, Jamie Overton, and player of the tournament, Nicholas Pooran, are both returning for the fifth edition
The group stage is a double round-robin, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs. In the knockout stages, the first and second-placed sides contest the first qualifier, with the winner progressing to the final. The winner of third versus fourth faces the loser from the qualifier for a place in the final.
The 2020 T10 League, then an eight-team tournament, was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was instead played in January-February 2021. Delhi Bulls and Northern Warriors finished in the top two, pipping Qalandars on net run rate, with Team Abu Dhabi rounding off the top four.
In the knockout stages, Delhi Bulls defeated Northern Warriors by five wickets to advance to the final while Team Abu Dhabi defeated Qalandars (six wickets) in the Eliminator. Northern Warriors reached the final at the second attempt, defeating Team Abu Dhabi by seven wickets, before cruising to an eight-wicket win over the Bulls in the final to lift their second title. Team Abu Dhabi won the third-place playoff.
25 English players are involved in the latest edition of the T10 League. England trio Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy (injury permitting) and Adil Rashid have signed up for Delhi Bulls while T20 World Cup teammates Liam Livingstone (Team Abu Dhabi), Chris Jordan, Moeen Ali (both Northern Warriors) and Tymal Mills (Deccan Gladiators, injury permitting) will also take part.
Livingstone is one of five Englishmen on TAD’s roster, alongside Phil Salt, Danny Briggs, Chris Benjamin and last season’s leading wicket-taker Jamie Overton, while Bangla Tigers have six English representatives (Benny Howell, Will Jacks, Luke Wood, Tom Hartley, Will Smeed and Adam Lyth). Jordan and Moeen are joined at Northern Warriors by Samit Patel and Ross Whiteley while Tom Banton, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Moores will be alongside Milles at Deccan Gladiators. Ravi Bopara, Roman Walker and Toby Albert have been signed by new franchise Chennai Braves.
Many familiar faces from the T20 World Cup will also take part, including Andre Russell, David Wiese, Wanindu Hasaranga (all Deccan Gladiators), Gulbadin Naib (Delhi Bulls), Nicholas Pooran, Migael Pretorius, Curtis Campher ( all Chennai Braves), Mark Watt, Josh Little (both Northern Warriors) Chris Gayle, Paul Stirling and Naveen Ul Haq (Team Abu Dhabi). Former South Africa internationals Faf du Plessis (Bangla Tigers), Imran Tahir (Northern Warriors) and Marchant de Lange (Team Abu Dhabi) are also involved alongside Pakistan bowler Wahab Riaz.
Wanindu Hasaranga, Eoin Morgan and Chris Gayle
From Monday to Friday, there will be two matches per day, with play starting at 2pm BST (6pm local time) and 4pm (8pm local time). Saturdays and Sundays will feature three matches, with play beginning at 12pm BST, 2pm BST and 4pm BST (4pm, 6pm and 8pm local time).
FreeSports (freeview channel 64/Sky channel 422/Virgin channel 553/BT TV channel 64) will offer full coverage for fans in the UK.
Viewers in India can watch the tournament on Colors Cineplex (in both English and Hindi) and Rishtey Cineplex (Hindi). The T10 League will also be streamed on the Voot Select app.
Willow Sports have the broadcast rights in USA and Canada while SuperSport will provide coverage in South Africa.
In the UAE and MENA nations, AD Sports and Sony Max will broadcast the T10 League.
EROS Now will offer a live stream for fans in South Asia and Australia.
Coverage in the Caribbean is TBC.
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