Aayal QureshiDubai, UAE – The ILT20 season officially kicked off at Dubai International Stadium with a spectacular opening ceremony. Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde, and Sonam Bajwa wowed the audience, culminating in a magnificent fireworks display. The event was hosted by Jackky Bhagnani and Ridhima Pathak.
The tournament’s inaugural match featured the Dubai Capitals and defending champions MI Emirates in a thrilling rematch of last year’s final. MI Emirates won the toss and elected to field, with the match commencing at 7:30 pm local time.
Kapoor Saahab, tum ne toh 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐝𝐢
— Zee Cricket (@ilt20onzee) January 11, 2025
Your dose of magic before #DPWorldILT20 madness, from Shahid Kapoor#ILT20onZee #T20HeroesKaJalwa #DCvMIE I @shahidkapoor pic.twitter.com/6ErGTmz8fL
Global audiences can tune in to the tournament live on the Zee Network and its affiliated platforms. An enticing ticket promotion offers four general admission tickets for just AED 40 starting January 12th, alongside a 25% discount on Pavilion and Platinum tickets for a limited time.
This month-long tournament will showcase top-notch cricket talent from around the world. Notable players include Nicholas Pooran (MI Emirates), Sikandar Raza (Dubai Capitals), Sunil Narine (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), and Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers). Other star players such as James Vince (Gulf Giants), Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriors), David Warner (Dubai Capitals), and Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) are also set to make their mark.
The tournament will also feature prominent players like Shimron Hetmyer, Phil Salt, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sam Curran, and Jake Fraser-McGurk, representing the Gulf Giants, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Sharjah Warriors, Desert Vipers, and Dubai Capitals respectively. Tim David will join the Gulf Giants, with Fazalhaq Farooqi playing for MI Emirates. Adil Rashid will represent the Sharjah Warriors, while Fakhar Zaman will play for the Desert Vipers.
Other key players include Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriors), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants), Alex Hales (Desert Vipers), Sherfane Rutherford (Desert Vipers), and Rovman Powell (Dubai Capitals). Chris Jordan will also be representing the Gulf Giants.
Cricket fans are in for an exhilarating month of high-energy matches and stellar performances.
