'It helped me tremendously': Virender Sehwag On Playing Alongside Legends Like McGrath & De Villiers

Virender Sehwag credits the ILT20 as a vital platform, elevating emerging talent and bringing the excitement of cricket to the region. As the ILT20 gears up for its third edition, scheduled to commence from January 11th, 2025, cricketing icon Virender Sehwag praised the league for its significant role in developing talent from the region and providing invaluable experience to players. The two legends spoke at the Season 3 launch event held last weekend on a yacht at Dubai Marina.  

Also Read | List of Records Broken As Zimbabwe Post Highest T20I Score vs Gambia

Virender Sehwag On Playing Alongside Glenn McGrath And AB de Villiers

The explosive Indian batter and legend of Indian cricket, Virender Sehwag, reflected on the league's impact over the past two seasons, stating, “When we look back at the past two seasons of the DP World ILT20, we can see that many players, whether they are from the UAE or other countries like Afghanistan, have significantly improved their performances in ICC tournaments."

He further emphasised the unique learning opportunities the league offers to UAE players, “For the UAE team, when players play alongside nine international stars, they get the chance to learn from these experienced players. Not only during matches but also in how the international players practice, prepare, and handle pressure situations. They won’t find this kind of exposure anywhere else.”

Sehwag also reminisced about his own experiences with global stars, highlighting how those interactions shaped his career.  He said, “When I had the opportunity to play with stars like Glenn McGrath, AB de Villiers, and Tillakaratne Dilshan, it helped me tremendously as they shared their experiences with me. I went on to have very good seasons after that exposure. The DP World ILT20 is providing similar opportunities for cricketers from the United Arab Emirates.”