A NEW ERA FOR THE ABU DHABI T10 AS CAPTAINS GEAR UP FOR SEASON OPENER
Triple-header at Zayed Cricket Stadium on 7 November launches the reimagined competition
Abu Dhabi, 06 November 2026: A new era for ‘Cricket’s Fastest Format’ begins tomorrow. The captains of the six 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 franchises came together today for the pre-tournament press conference. setting out their ambitions for the season ahead. Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Fakhar Zaman and Moeen Ali shared their thoughts on title defences, team identity and the demands of the 10-over game.
The season opens with a triple-header tomorrow. Defending champions UAE Bulls take on the Yas Lions in the opening match 3:30PM GST. The Royal Desert Champions face the Emirates Eagles at 5:45PM GST, before the United Tigers meet newcomers Arabian Aces at 8PM GST.
Kieron Pollard, whose UAE Bulls begin their title defence against the Yas Lions, said: “It’s always tougher to defend a title. When you’re the reigning champions, you’re the team to beat. But everybody starts fresh tomorrow. It’s a new season, and we’re all excited to get our campaign going on the right note.”
On the importance of setting the tone early, the Yas Lions’ Jason Holder said: “It’s crucial to start well, especially in a format like this, but we’ve seen how you can always turn things around in this format. We have a great group of guys, and we’re all raring to go tomorrow.”
On what makes the 10-over format particularly challenging for captains, the Royal Desert Champions’ Nicholas Pooran said: “Things move very quickly in this format. It adds to the excitement, but it means you make judgement calls in a short span, and right or wrong, you don’t have time to dwell. As a captain, it’s important to support the team so they can execute their skills.”
On balancing power-hitting and bowling, the Emirates Eagles’ Rovman Powell said: “If you want to go all the way, which is undoubtedly our goal this season, you have to nail both departments. We’ve got the right balance in the squad. The senior players need to lead the way, and guys like Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult will play a huge role.”
On what will be his team’s biggest strength this season, the United Tigers’ Fakhar Zaman said: “We have no shortage of talent in our team. We have multiple match-winners, and that’s a factor that sets us apart. It helps that many of us are already familiar with each other, and the young guys are gelling well. We’re thrilled for the new season.”
On the identity the Arabian Aces want to establish as a new franchise, Moeen Ali said: “We want to be a franchise that players are proud to represent, built on a culture of excellence. Absolutely, we’ll fight hard and look to showcase our skills, but we also want every player to grow during their stint with the team.”
The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 runs from 7–20 November at Abu Dhabi’s celebrated Zayed Cricket Stadium. It is the first full tournament since Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH) took majority ownership of the event, supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). The format stays the same: high-intensity 10-over matches, international star power and nail-biting finishes.
All 32 matches of the 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 will be broadcast live across Star Sports’ extensive linear television network and streamed on JioHotstar, bringing ‘Cricket’s Fastest Format’ to hundreds of millions of enthusiastic Indian cricket fans.
Ashik Islam,
special correspondent,
Bangla Express News.
