Stars shone brightly at the Zayed Cricket Stadium when the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 (Nov 18-30) ushered in a new chapter of its iconic tournament on Sunday, with players from all eight franchise sides – affectionately known as the ‘Global Legends’ and ‘Icon’ players – converging at the venue before the curtain-raiser for the sixth edition.
Kieron Pollard (UAE Bulls), Thisara Perera (Northern Warriors), Angelo Mathews (Royal Champs), Faf du Plessis (Vista Riders), Sam Billings (Aspin Stallions), Thisara Periera (Quetta Qavalry), Nicholas Pooran (Deccan Gladiators) and Moeen Ali (Ajman Titans) are the ‘Global Legends’ players, who have been integral to the teams, while the Icons include the likes of Rohid Mahood (UAE Bulls) and Vijay Shah (Northern Warriors).
The tournament will feature a total of 32 matches over 12 playing days with the hosts and tournament favourites, Deccan Gladiators locking horns with UAE Bulls in the opening day match on Tuesday, before the curtain-raiser between new entrants Quetta Qavalry and Northern Warriors.
The defending champions will be out to extend their dominance in the UAE, where they have won three titles from the past four editions, while UAE Bulls, Quetta Qavalry, Northern Warriors, Aspin Stallions and Royal Champs are all targeting their maiden title.
Commenting on the build-up to the tournament, Kieron Pollard of UAE Bulls said: “It’s great to see the local talent developing, and being part of this tournament alongside them is something special. I’m looking forward to playing with the likes of Rohid.”
England star Moeen Ali, who will captain Ajman Titans, is looking forward to the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10.
“The UAE has established itself as a global cricket hub, and you can see that with tournaments like the Abu Dhabi T10,” he said.
“The facilities here are world-class, and the passion for cricket is growing every year. It feels great to be part of something that’s putting UAE cricket on the map and attracting the best players from around the world.”
Deccan Gladiators skipper Nicholas Pooran agreed with Moeen as well.
“I have been coming to the UAE since a very young age and really enjoyed playing cricket here. I have had many good memories over the years and the whole place means a lot to me in my cricketing career,” Pooran said.
“The conditions and the vibes are great and the fans are amazing. Playing cricket in UAE has always been special to me and it’s like home away from home, so I am really looking forward to it”.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format with each of the teams playing against every other in the first stage. At the end of the 28 group matches, the four teams on top of the points table will progress to the playoffs.
The playoff stage will start on November 29 with Qualifier 1 (1st vs 2nd) and Eliminator (3rd vs 4th).
Qualifier 2 will be played on November 30 between the winner of Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1, after which the final will be played later the same day to determine the champion.
All matches will be played at the iconic Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Known for its fast outfield and raucous atmosphere, the stadium is the ideal venue for the high-octane T10 action that fans can expect in the tournament.