Abu Dhabi T10 draft: Malinga, Amir and Russell among the first picks

The third edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 is all set to begin on the 14th of November. The player draft took place last night with as many as 110 players allotted to the eight teams. The teams were allowed only 3 minutes to pick a player in the drama-filled event. T20 superstars like Andre Russell, Mohammad Amir, Lasith Malinga, and Shoaib Mallik were among the first picks of the player draft.

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Northern Warriors

Defending champions Northern Warriors decided to cash in on the West Indian talent available in the pool. With Darren Sammy already in as their icon player, the Warriors decided to add the likes of the famed all-rounders Russell, Rayad Emrit, opener Lendl Simmons, young keeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran along with Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz. They further added the English WK batsman Sam Billings and Zimbabwean All-rounder Sikandar Raza to make it a batting heavy unit. They start their title defence on November 15 against the Maratha Arabians.

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Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Team Abu Dhabi

The new team on the block, Team Abu Dhabi – who earlier announced Moeen Ali as their icon player – went for a strong bowling unit. The team that was a surprise addition first picked Pakistan pacer, Mohammad Amir. they further added the likes of T20 specialist Harry Gurney, Australian pacer Ben Laughlin, and English pacer Lewis Gregory from the Abu Dhabi T10 draft. With the likes of Luke Wright, Corey Anderson and Niroshan Dickwella, Team Abu Dhabi have a well-rounded unit.

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Maratha Arabians

The Maratha Arabians have strong batting line-up with icon player Chris Lynn at the top. They quickly picked Lasith Malinga from the Abu Dhabi T10 draft. They also added Adam Lyth, all-rounders Dwayne Bravo, Dasun Shanaka to their ranks. The attacking Afghani duo of Najibullah Zadran and Hazratullah Zazai also find themselves among the mix. With the towering Mohammad Irfan and Yorker specialist Lasith Malinga leading the attack, The Arabians have assembled a formidable unit.

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Deccan Gladiators

The Deccan Gladiators put their weight behind all-rounders in the player draft. With Shane Watson as their icon player, they added Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, New Zealand’s Anton Devicich and Pakistan all-rounder Anwar Ali. The bowling line up is a mix of youth and experience with Fawad Ahmad, Tymal Mills, Mason Crane, Zahoor Khan amongst their ranks. Afghani WK Batsman Mohammad Shahzad, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Bhanuka Rajapaksha also part of the team, Gladiators have gone for a team that can give them flexibility building up to the Abu Dhabi T10 league.

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Delhi Bulls

World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan was snapped up by the Delhi Bulls as their icon player. They added the experienced Shoaib Malik to their ranks alongside the likes of Mohammad Nabi, Sherfane Rutherford, Ireland’s Paul Stirling, Netherland’s Tobias Visse and Sri Lankan keeper Kusal Perera. Their bowling attack comprises America’s Ali Khan, England’s Adil Rashid and Pakistani pace duo of Sohail Tanvir and Muhammad Hasnain. They begin their T10 League campaign against Gladiators on November 15.

Also Read: Andre Russell: West Indian All-rounder Showers Praise On T10 League

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Team Qalandars

Team Qalandars who have Shahid Afridi as their icon player, decided to invest in the Pakistani players in the draft. They picked 10 Pakistan players from the draft. Qalandars added Mohammad Hafeez, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, and Imran Nazir in their team. Along with Luke Ronchi, Tom Banton, and Chris Jordan, Qalandars have a host of players who can clear the boundaries with ease.

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Bangla Tigers

Like the Qalandars, The Bangla tigers also focused on bringing in the best big hitters in the draft. They have picked as many as 12 players with solid batting skills. With former Sri Lankan captain Thisara Perera as their icon player, the Tigers added the likes of Colin Ingram, Robbie Frylinck, Andre Fletcher and Rilee Roussouw for the tournament. They start their tournament of the 16th of November vs Deccan Gladiators.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi T10 League: Schedule News, Details, And Cricket Insights

Abu Dhabi T10 Draft: Karnataka Tuskers

The Karanataka Tuskers, meanwhile, went for a balanced side. With icon player Hashim Amla attending the Abu Dhabi T10 draft, the Tuskers added the likes of Sandeep Lamichanne, Pat Brown and Nathan Rimmington to their bowling attack. They also picked up the West Indian trio of Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, and Fabian Allen. The Tuskers would hope that their side can gel well together and give something to cheer for their fans.

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