Former Pakistan captain and DP World ILT20 commentator Shoaib Malik highlighted the growing influence of the league and the growing influence of players from associate member countries and the UAE as clear signs of cricket’s expanding global presence.
Talking about the unique squad composition rules of DP World ILT20 during a media interview, he said, “DP World ILT20 brings a lot of flair and has a very unique feature of up to nine international players playing. (ICC) Associate players and local talent are making their presence felt by performing well against international big names. This sends a strong message that cricket is a growing sport. A few years ago, we had only 10-12 countries playing at the highest level. “I thought, but now there are even 20 teams participating in the T20 World Cup, which shows how quickly the game is expanding.”
In the DP World ILT20 Season 4 Player Auction, each franchise secured the services of one player from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the league’s regional impact, Malik said, “DP World ILT20 has taken a big initiative by involving players from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia along with the UAE. This is a very positive sign for cricket in the region.”
The all-rounder, who has over 11,867 international appearances and 218 wickets, highlighted how much of an impact the UAE bowlers have had in Season 4. He singled out Dubai Capitals spinner Haider Ali and said, “Haider bowls with confidence against big names. Even when the batsmen are well prepared, he shows composure and executes his plan perfectly.”
Notably, Haider Ali has taken eight wickets in as many matches this season at an excellent economy rate of 6.40. Malik also heaped praise on Desert Vipers’ Khuzaima Tanveer and MI Emirates opener Muhammad Waseem, adding, “Khuzaima Tanveer has shown herself to be very talented and has been one of the best wicket-takers so far (13 wickets). And UAE captain and MI Emirates opener Muhammad Waseem continues to perform whenever he gets the chance. These guys are doing well, so I hope they show this in major international competitions.”
Reflecting on the importance of the UAE in his career, the 43-year-old said, “My international debut came in Sharjah and since 2009, when Pakistan has played a lot of international cricket in the region, we have had a lot of success here. We last played here during the 2021 T20 World Cup and lost in the semi-finals but still performed well. This is a place I always enjoy coming back to and whenever I get the chance, I don’t think twice about coming here.”
