MI Emirates signs four domestic players for the inaugural season of ILT20
Mumbai, 9th December 2022: MI Emirates, today announced the signing of four local UAE players in its team for the inaugural season of the International League T20 (ILT20) in January (2023). The new players who will adorn the iconic Blue and Gold jersey are Muhammad Waseem, Basil Hameed, Vriitya Aravind, and Zahoor Khan.
The signings resonate with Mumbai Indians’ continued efforts towards investing and nurturing young local talent and unlocking their true potential. With MI Emirates, MI Global has expanded its footprints to the passionate cricketing nation. The team brings the same ethos and values which have been instrumental in making MI one of the most loved sports franchises.
MI Emirates led by Kieron Pollard will be based in Abu Dhabi and feature some of the most dynamic cricketing talent like Dwyane Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Imran Tahir and Trent Boult. MI Emirates will play its first match on Saturday, 14th January 2023 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Here's the full squad.
The UAE-local players
- Muhammad Waseem, the 28-year-old right hand batsman represents the UAE national cricket team in ODI’s and International T20’s. He is listed as the 14th best batsman on the ICC men’s T20 batting ratings.
- Basil Hameed, an off-spin all-rounder represents the UAE national cricket team in all formats.
- Zahoor Khan the right arm medium fast bowler debuted for the UAE national cricket team in 2017 and has played 37 ODI’s and T20I’s for UAE.
- Vriitya Aravind, the 20-year-old is a top order batsman with more than 500 runs in T20I, he also is the Vice-Captain of the UAE national cricket team.
About Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians owned by Reliance Industries Limited runs the Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). With the recent global expansion of #OneFamily, MI has three T20 teams across three countries - MI Cape Town in SA20 and MI Emirates in International League T20.
Over the last 15 years, Mumbai Indians has emerged as the most consistent cricket franchise maintaining its Number Uno position with seven titles, which includes a record 5 trophies in IPL and two Champions League T20 titles. Brand Finance, a global brand valuation agency recently accorded AA+ brand strength rating to Mumbai Indians. MI has a strong digital presence with over 31 million fans - the much loved #MIPaltan - from across the world. High stakeholders’ trust, brand investment, fan engagement and performance make MI a brand that adds immense value to the global cricketing ecosystem.
