Mumbai: Gulf Giants, the defending champions of DP World International League T20 (ILT20), have today announced their star-studded squad for the upcoming second season. With a perfect blend of experience and youth, the Gulf Giants are geared up to dominate the league and defend their DP World ILT20 championship. The Adani Sportsline owned-franchise has announced Andy Flower as the team’s Head Coach for the upcoming season, which will be led by England batter James Vince.

After meticulous planning and scouting, Gulf Giants has announced the signing of new players such as Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman along with the likes of T20 sensation Dominic Drakes. The newly-signed players will be complemented by a power-packed squad combination featuring T20 maestros Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies), Chris Jordan (England), Chris Lynn (Australia), and Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies), to name a few.

Flower, arguably Zimbabwe's greatest cricketer, has forged a successful coaching career since his retirement in 2003, capped by the title run at the 2010 men's T20 World Cup with England. He has since worked with the Afghanistan men's national team as well as franchise teams at the IPL, the PSL, the CPL, and in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.

Starting 19th January, 2024, the DP World ILT20 defending champions – Gulf Giants will be facing Sharjah Warriors. Cricket fans can watch this only-global T20 league on Zee’s most widely distributed and viewed 10 linear TV channels: &Pictures, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema, Zee Zest, Zee Ganga, Zee Cinemalu HD, &Flix, &Flix HD and Zee Zest HD and on one of India’s leading OTT platforms - ZEE5. All single header matches will be broadcast Live at 8 PM India prime time, starting with the pre-match presentation at 7:30 PM. The afternoon match on the double-header’s day will start at 4:00 PM.

Speaking on the announcement, Gulf Giants’ head coach Andy Flower said, “As we gear up for the upcoming season of International League T20, the Gulf Giants are focused on defending our ILT20 title with a pragmatic approach. Undoubtedly, a pinnacle of T20 competitiveness on the global stage, this tournament features the participation of top-tier players, making it truly a standout event on the international cricket calendar. Taking forward the learnings from the inaugural season, we have strategically enhanced our squad with valuable additions, including Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Dominic Drakes, while also retaining key players such as Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, and Carlos Brathwaite, who played crucial roles in our previous success. Our goal is straightforward – to build on past achievements and skilfully navigate the challenges of the new season.”

Australian cricketer, and hard-hitting right-hander Chris Lynn said, “It gives me immense pride to be part of Gulf Giants squad, together we are determined to replicate the successful run of the inaugural season. As defending champions of one of the world’s toughest T20 leagues, I am confident about the team’s ability to perform well in the upcoming season. It's always a great experience sharing the dressing room with cricketing greats of the modern game, look forward to contributing to the team's success.”

Adani Sportsline spokesperson, chief business officer Sanjay Adesara said, “As we unveil our squad for the upcoming season of the International League T20, we are optimistic about the team's ability to build upon the success achieved in the event's inaugural season. With Andy Flower leading our coaching staff, we believe that the assembled squad is robust, and the players will have the opportunity to develop their skills under his guidance. We trust that Flower's mentorship will also contribute to aligning our players with our vision of connecting and engaging with cricket enthusiasts worldwide. The International League T20 has solidified its standing as the world's second-most-watched T20 extravaganza. Its widespread global viewership, facilitated by the extensive distribution network of ZEE, adds to its prominence and is set to become ‘bigger and better’ in years to come. We appreciate the unwavering support of our fans, whose consistent support has been a driving force for us, and look forward to hosting them once again.”

For the full list of newly-signed an retained players refer to the list below:

The 34-match event will be played at the three iconic UAE venues - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah – starting 19 January 2024 to 17 February 2024. The truly international league’s six franchise teams include Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Dubai Capitals (Adani Sportsline), Dubai Capitals (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).