A five-wicket haul from Wasim Akram lit up Friday’s action in the third edition of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament, as Sharjah Warriorz Development sealed a five-wicket win over Gulf Giants Development at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
Akram’s fiery spell (5 for 26), which included a hat-trick to wrap up the innings, restricted the Giants to 124. The performance underscored the tournament’s role in showcasing emerging UAE cricket talent ahead of the 2025 ILT20 Player Auction, scheduled shortly after the Asia Cup.
Despite a shaky start in the chase—reeling at 36 for 3 in the powerplay due to Zahid Ali’s 3 for 26—Sharjah rebounded through Raees Ahmed, who smashed an unbeaten 68 off 36 balls. He hit five fours and five sixes, with support from Yassir Kaleem (22 off 16) and Mohit Kalyan (11* off 6), as the Warriorz reached the target in 13.5 overs.
Rising Stars Shine in ILT20 Development Tournament
MI Emirates Development edged Desert Vipers Development by 11 runs via the DLS method in Saturday’s rain-affected encounter. Chasing 194, MI Emirates reached 142 for 4 in 14.3 overs before floodlight issues ended the match early.
Aryan Saxena (29 off 22) and Lovepreet Singh (43 off 29) gave MI a strong start, while Vishnu Sukumaran remained unbeaten on 23. Earlier, Desert Vipers posted 193 for 7, with Danny Pawson (54) and Mayank (36) anchoring the innings. Basil Hameed (31) and Khuzaima Tanveer (19) added late runs, but tight spells from Mohammad Mohsin (2 for 25) and Rizwan CP (2 for 24) slowed the scoring.
Floodlight Failures Disrupt Saturday’s Action in Dubai
Saturday’s second match between Dubai Capitals Development and Sharjah Warriorz Development was abandoned without a ball bowled due to a floodlight failure. Both teams were awarded a point each.
This followed lighting delays earlier in the day during the MI Emirates–Vipers match.
Sagar Kalyan, Raees Ahmed and Others Impress Ahead of ILT20 Auction
On Friday, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders Development defeated Dubai Capitals Development by seven wickets. The Capitals managed 152 in 19.5 overs, with only Luqman Faisal (45) and Sohaib Khan (29) making notable contributions. Ankur Sangwan (3 for 16) and Ibrar Ahmad (2 for 31) led the attack for the Knight Riders.
Chasing the target, Sagar Kalyan struck a decisive 79 off 51 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes. He was supported by Muhammad Shahdad (24*) and Syed Haider Shah (24*), finishing the match in 18.3 overs despite a strong effort from Awais Shah (2 for 15).
With the DP World ILT20 2025 Player Auction approaching, standout performances from Akram, Ahmed, and Kalyan are drawing interest from scouts and coaches. The tournament gives regional players a clear opportunity to earn selection.
