The inaugural edition of the ILT20 will be held between January 13 and February 12.
Caution ⚠️ Coaches at work 👨🏫#MIEmirates #OneFamily pic.twitter.com/TtnKbh0zos
— MI Emirates (@MIEmirates) January 7, 2023
Six teams have been created for the ILT20: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriors.
Many of the teams have links to IPL franchises, notably Abu Dhabi, MI Emirates, and Dubai Capitals.
Shane Bond will be at the helm of MI Emirates in the inaugural edition of the ILT20 to be held in the UAE.
The former New Zealand star is excited about his new role and simply cannot wait for the tournament to get rolling.
Bond has been with the MI franchise through its parent club Mumbai Indians where he is an assistant coach.
Talking about Dwayne Bravo – another West Indies star in the MI Emirates squad – Bond said, “I have played a lot of cricket against DJ. He is still going strong and still awesome. I am really looking forward to work with him. He is also transitioning into a coaching role as well. Such a well-respected player can also act as an extra tutor around the younger players with his experience.”
“Both Polly and DJ add a West Indies flavor in our team. They really bring that energy to the team and that is really important for us.” Shane signed off.
With West Indies and MI star Kieron Polland leading the team, Bond is confident that the power-hitting all-rounder will be able to replicate his success of IPL in the ILT20.
“Obviously having MI legend Kieron Polland as captain is so exciting and then the young guys are looking for an opportunity to perform. I have worked with Polly for a long time. He is terrific guy to work with, excellent captain. We have already spoken about our vision for the team and we are very much on the same page,” he said.