Young talent took center stage at the Abu Dhabi T10’s 2024 Players Draft, which was another exciting event. Nearly 450 of the more than 1,000 players who enrolled this year were selected for the draft, and 107 of them eventually found their way into the rosters of the ten teams.
The Delhi Bulls, Bangla Tigers, Chennai Brave Jaguars, Deccan Gladiators, Northern Warriors, Morrisville Samp Army, New York Strikers, and Team Abu Dhabi completed their rosters with the addition of the ten teams, which included the two new teams, Bolts Ajman and UP Nawabs. The 2024 Abu Dhabi T10 will be the biggest season ever, with 179 worldwide megastars competing.
The Abu Dhabi T10’s truly international character was demonstrated by the fact that players from 11 different countries were drafted. Twenty players from the West Indies, seventeen from the United Arab Emirates, fifteen from Sri Lanka, and fourteen from Pakistan were the most prominent picks. The tournament’s worldwide appeal was highlighted by the 11 contributions from Afghanistan, as well as the 9 English, 5 Zimbabwean, 3 Bangladeshi, 3 Australian, and 2 each from New Zealand and South Africa.
South African Dewald Brevis, also referred to as “Baby AB de Villiers,” was the draft’s most highly sought-after selection. Brevis, who played for the Mumbai Indians, the five-time Indian Premier League champions, is well-known throughout the Asian subcontinent for his unique 360-degree batting style. Although he was targeted by nearly every team, the New York Strikers, the reigning champions, selected him in the draft.
Another notable choice of the evening was Tom Banton, a vibrant and flamboyant batter who is 25 years old. The Delhi Bulls signed him because they wanted to add a strong batter to their top order. Banton has become as one of the most sought-after players on the English cricket tour thanks to his remarkable international strike rate of 147.96.
One of the league’s newer teams, Bolts Ajman, made the most draft selections, choosing 14 players while striking a balance between youth and experience. Along with 20-year-old Sri Lankan batsman Shevon Daniel, they added seasoned players like Mohammad Nabi and Alex Hales to build a well-rounded team. James Neesham, an iconic player, and Mujheeb Ur Rahman, a platinum superstar, were new straight additions.
The second new team, the UP Nawabs, selected 13 players in the draft, including Afghanistan’s reliable all-rounder Najibullah Zadran and West Indies fast bowler Odean Smith.
Also Read: Abu Dhabi T10 2024: New York Strikers Squad Announced
The team’s symbol is Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and the roster is further strengthened by English players Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills, and Dawid Malan.
Abu Dhabi T10 2024 Full Teams
Team Abu Dhabi
Draft Signings: Adam Milne (Cat B), Kadeem Alleyne (Cat B), Asif Khan (Cat C), Rumman Raees (Cat C), Haider Ali (UAE 1), Zeeshan Nasser (UAE 2), Muhammad Arfan (UAE 3), Ramon Simmonds (Emerging), Muditha Lakshan (Emerging), Angelo Mathews (Optional)
New Signings: Jonny Bairstow (Platinum Superstar), Lockie Ferguson (Cat A), Shimron Hetmyer Cat A), AM Ghazanfar (Cat C)
Retentions: Phil Salt (Icon), Noor Ahmad (Cat A), and Kyle Mayers (Cat B)
Delhi Bulls
Draft Signings: Tom Banton (Cat B), Salman Irshad (Cat B), Kasun Rajitha (Cat C), Nikhil Chaudhary (Cat C), Saghir Khan (UAE 2), Shahid Iqbal Bhutta (UAE 3), Isai Thorne (Emerging), Pavan Rathnayake (Emerging), Fabian Allen (Optional), Harshir Seth (Optional)
New Signings: Wanindu Hasaranga (Platinum Superstar), Tim David (Cat A), Romario Shepherd (Cat A), Matthew Wade (Global Superstar)
Retentions: Rovman Powell (Icon), Muhammad Rohid (UAE 1), Naveen-ul-Haq (Cat A), Fazlahaq Farooqi (Cat B), James Vince (Cat C)
Northern Warriors
Draft Signings: Brandon King (Cat B), Fareed Malik (Cat B), Shohidul Islam (Cat C), Ziaur Rahman (Cat C), Sagar Kalyan (UAE 2), Muhammad Uzair Khan (UAE 3), Shaqkere Parris (Emerging), Ackeem Auguste (Emerging)
New Signings: Trent Boult (Icon), Finn Allen (Platinum Superstar), Johnson Charles (Cat A), Sherfane Rutherford (Cat A), Saqib Mahmood (Cat A)
Retentions: Colin Munro (Cat B), Azmatullah Omarzai (Cat C), Ankur Sangwan (UAE 1)
Deccan Gladiators
Draft Signings: Luke Wood (Cat A), David Wiese (Cat B), Usman Tariq (Cat C), Khary Pierre (Cat C), Aryan Lakra (UAE 2), Abrar Ahmed (UAE 3), Malsha Tharupati (Emerging), Tinotenda Maposa (Emerging), Richard Gleeson (Optional), Rilee Rossouw (Optional)
New Signings: Jos Buttler (Icon), Anrich Nortje (Cat A), Marcus Stoinis (Cat A)
Retentions: Maheesh Theekshana (Cat A), Nicholas Pooran (Platinum Superstar), Andre Russell (Cat B), Tom Koher-Cadmore (Cat C), Zahoor Khan (UAE 1)
New York Strikers
Draft Signings: Evin Lewis (Cat B), Dewald Brevis (Cat B), Doug Bracewell (Cat C), Kusal Perera (Cat C), Alishan Sharafu (UAE 2), Mayank Choudhary (UAE 3), Nathan Edward (Emerging), Dumindu Sewmina (Emerging), Asif Ali (Optional), Reece Topley (Optional)
New Signings: Matheesha Pathirana (Platinum Superstar), Donovan Ferreira (Cat A)
Retentions: Kieron Pollard (Icon), Mohammad Amir (Cat A), Sunil Narine (Cat A), Akeal Hossain (Cat B), Muhammad Waseem (Cat C), Muhammad Jawadulla (UAE 1)
Bolts Ajman
Draft Signings: Mohammad Nabi (Cat A), Alax Hales (Cat B), Obed McCoy (Cat B), Ravi Bopara (Cat B), Terrance Hinds (Cat C), Shehan Jayasuriya (Cat C), Mark Deyal (Cat C), Ali Abid (UAE 1), Safeer Tariq (UAE 2), Huhammad Mohsin (UAE 3), Shevon Daniel (Emerging), Arineshto Vhezha (Emerging), Ijas Ahmadzai (Optional), Dunith Wellalage (Optional)
New Signings: James Neesham (Icon), Mujheeb Ur Rahman (Platinum Superstar), Lungi Ngidi, Gulbadin Naib (Cat A), Haider Ali (Cat A)
Morrisville Samp Army:
Draft Signings: Karim Janat (Cat A), Rohaan Mustafa (Cat B), Jack Taylor (Cat B), Sajid Khan (Cat C), Kjorn Ottley (Cat C), Hazrat Bilal (UAE 1), Taimoor Ali (UAE 2), Umair Ali Khan (UAE 3), Brain Bennett (Emerging), Leonardo Julien (Emerging), Amir Hamza Hotak (Optional), Sharafuddin Ashraf (Optional)
New Signings: David Willey (Cat A), Imad Wasim (Cat A)
Retentions:Faf du Plessis (Icon), Qais Ahmad (Cat B), Andries Gous (Cat C)
Bangla Tigers
Draft Signings: Mohammad Hasnain (Cat B), Mohammad Shehzad (Cat B), Mir Hamza (Cat C), David Payne (Cat C), Luqman Faisal (UAE 1), Nav Pabreja (UAE 2), Hafis Almas Ayub (UAE 3), Tashinga Musekiwa (Emerging), Ravindu Rathnayke (Emerging), Imran Khan (Optional), Towhid Hridoy (Optional)
New Signings: Shakib al Hasan (Icon), Rashid Khan (Platinum Superstar), Liam Livingstone (Cat A), Iftikhar Ahmed (Cat A), DInesh Karthik (Global Superstar)
Retentions: Hazratullah Zazai (Cat A), Dasun Shanaka (Cat B), Joshua Little (Cat C)
UP Nawabs
Draft Signings: Binura Fernando (Cat B), Odean Smith (Cat B), Najibullah Zadran (Cat B), Faridoon Dawoodzai (Cat C), Curtis Campher (Cat C), Ryan Burl (Cat C), Farhan Khan (UAE 1), Hafeez ur Rehman (UAE 2), Khalid Shah (UAE 3), Joshua Bishop (Emerging), Ashmead Nedd (Emerging), Masood Gurbaz (Optional), Khalid Ahmad Gurbaz (Optional)
New Signings: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Icon), Dawid Malan (Cat A), Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid (Cat A), Andre Fletcher (Cat A)
Chennai Brave Jaguars
Draft Signings: Joshua Brown (Cat B), Nick Hobson (Cat B), Akila Dhananjaya (Cat C), Oshane Thomas (Cat C), Matiullah Khan (UAE 2), Sabir Ali (UAE 3), Kavindu Nadeeshan (Emerging), Garuka Sanketh (Emerging), Ali Khan (Optional), Kobe Herft (Optional)
New Signings: Chris Lynn (Cat A), Nuwan Thushara (Cat A), Thisara Perera (Cat A), Dan Lawrence (Platinum Superstar), Rassie van der Dussen (Icon)
Retentions: Aayan Khan (UAE 1), George Munsey (Cat C), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Cat B)