T10 League is a sports entertainment. The shorter the format, the more fun, and entertainment the fans will get to see. T10 Cricket is now slowly making its place in the hub of cricket as the third season of the T10 League is just around the corner. After being played in Sharjah for the past two years, the Gala will move to Abu Dhabi this year.

Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium will be hosting the third season, which will see eight teams compete against each other from November 15-24.

Team Abu Dhabi, Qalandars and Bangla Tigers will be making their debut in this season’s T10 League. They have replaced Pakhtoons, Kerala Knights, and Punjabi Legends from season 2.

Also, some rebranding has been done for the third season which as follows: 

  • Karnataka Tuskers formerly as Rajputs, 
  • Deccan Gladiators earlier as Sindhis and; 
  • Delhi Bulls previously as Bengal Tigers

Each Team will have a total of 14 players, including two UAE and one emerging talent player. However, a team is allowed to have two additional players but their cost will be completely born by the franchise itself.

The league will be played over 2 stages; group stage and super league stage and then the playoff matches.  A total of 29 games will be played over the course of 10 days. Three games will be played each day except for the final day, where only 2 will be played - the final and the 3/4th place playoff.

The group stage will see each team play against each other once and in the super league stage, the teams of Group A will play the teams of Group B. The top 4 teams will then qualify for the playoffs.

The opening ceremony will see a concert where celebrities from different regions will perform. It is going to take place on 14th November, a day before Maratha Arabians take on Northern Warriors in the opening match of the T10 league.

The eight teams are split into two groups of four each.

GROUP A: Bangla Tigers, Deccan Gladiators, Delhi Bulls, Karnataka Tuskers.

GROUP B: Maratha Arabians, Qalandars, Northern Warriors, Team Abu Dhabi.

Below are the full squads for the T10 Mela.

Northern Warriors
Darren Sammy (Icon Player, Captain), Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Chris Green, Sam Billings, Pravin Tambe, Lendl Simmons, Rayad Emrit, Sikandar Raza, Ansh Tandon, Amir Hayat, Mark Deyal, George Munsey, Nuwan Pradeep, Asela Gunaratne. Coach: Robin Singh.

Northern Warriors will look to repeat their last season heroics having won the title, beating Pakhtoons in the final by 22 runs, courtesy brilliance of Rovman Powell and Andre Russell. They have been brilliantly led by their captain and Icon player Darren Sammy. The West Indian T20 World Cup-winning captain is known for his charismatic leadership as he has also led Peshawar Zalmi to a PSL title. However, Rovman Powell, player of the match in the final is not available this time which could be a setback for Warriors.

Also, Pakistani pacer Wahab Riaz is not given NOC by PCB to feature in T10 league this time around and defending Champions will also be without Ravi Bopara. Nevertheless, they still possess an attack good enough to blow teams away on their day. A Squad that features the one and only, Dre Russ, West Indian batsman Simmons and wicket-keeper batsman Nicolas Pooran and Englishmen Sam Billings cannot be ruled out. Chris Green is coming on the back off a great CPL where he took 13 wickets and played a crucial role in Guyana Amazon Warriors' unbeaten 11-match unbeaten run. Will they be able to defend their title and make it two in two campaigns having made their debut last season?

Delhi Bulls
Eoin Morgan (Icon Player, Captain), Mohammad Nabi, Zaheer Khan, Ravi Rampaul, Kusal Perera, Adil Rashid, Sherfane Rutherford, Ali Khan, Muhammad Usman, Waheed Ahmed, Tobias Visee, Paul Stirling, David Willey, Angelo Mathews, Dushmanta Chamira. Coach: Stephen Fleming.

Formerly known as Bengal Tigers, have changed their name to Delhi Bulls for the third season with the slogan - SAADI DILLI, SAADI TEAM. They will look to improve on their 3rd place finish last season and will have a proper go at the title considering the payers they have lined up this season.

One of the balanced teams in my opinion, having the likes of Eoin Morgan - the 2019 ICC World Cup winning captain - Bulls have also recruited Angelo Mathews, an astute signing, considering the experience and the calmness he brings with him, he will be a good addition. They also have firepower at the top with Ireland’s Paul Stirling and Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera.

However, they have lost Jason Roy, Sunil Narine, and Sam Billings but their absence won’t affect as they have all areas covered with Indian Legendary fast bowler Zaheer Khan spearheading the bowling attack with Windies bowler Ravi Rampaul. Englishman Adil Rashid is drafted in to bolster spin options with Afghanistan’s all-rounder Nabi already there having played for them last season. Can Eoin Morgan lead Delhi to a title in T10 after leading England to ODI World Cup?

Maratha Arabians
Yuvraj Singh (Icon Player), Chris Lynn, Dwayne Bravo (Captain), Lasith Malinga, Hazratullah Zazai, Najibullah Zadran, Mitchell McClenaghan, Dasun Shanaka, Chadwick Walton, Wanindu Hasaranga, James Fuller, Adam Lyth, Shiraz Ahmed, Mohammed Qasim, Nasir Aziz, Umer Zeeshan Yahya. Coach: Andy Flower.

Finished fourth last season, Maratha Arabians have gone on to bolster their team like they mean business. They have their Icon player in Yuvraj Singh, who is famous for hitting six sixes in an over to Stuart Broad in 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and leading India to their 2nd ODI World cup in 2011. They have the Australian hard-hitter Chris Lynn - my word if he gets going then its curtains for the bowling team.

Lead by Dwayne Bravo, who has all the experience in the world having played almost every T20 league, will be ecstatic by having the star Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga. In addition to this, they have Mitchell McClenaghan who has the taste of winning a title with IPL side Mumbai Indian in 2015. They have new additions in Hasaranga who bamboozled Pakistan in a 3-0 series win where another Arabian recruit Dasun Shanaka led Sri Lanka brilliantly against Pakistan. Maratha will be looking to topple last year’s winner Northern Warriors and claim their first title.

Deccan Gladiators
Shane Watson (Icon Player, Captain), Anton Devcich, Ben Cutting, Kieron Pollard, Zahir Khan, Mohammad Shahzad, Fawad Ahmed, Sheldon Cottrell, Zahoor Khan, Asif Khan, Migael Pretorius, Dan Lawrence, Mason Crane, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Imtiaz Ahmed, Shareef Asadullah. Coach: Mushtaq Ahmed.

Coming into this season with a new name having previously played by the name of Sindhis, Deccan Gladiators will be coached by former Pakistani leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed. Deccan finished bottom in the second edition despite having the likes of Shane Watson and English pacer Jofra Archer in their ranks.

This season they will not have the services of Jofra Archer but the Gladiators look very formidable on the paper having the Windies T20I captain Kieron Pollard in their team for this season. They also have his international teammate Sheldon Cottrell to bolster their bowling lineup, but it remains to be seen how well their captain and icon player Shane Watson rally his troops.

Karnataka Tuskers
Hashim Amla (Icon Player, Captain), Sandeep Lamichhane, Pat Brown, Evin Lewis, Kesrick Williams, Johnson Charles, Ross Whiteley, Shapoor Zadran, Ahmed Raza, Asif Mumtaz, Marlon Samuels, Nathan Rimmington, Shafiqullah Shafique, Asad Pathan, Upul Tharanga, Malinda Pushpakumara. Coach: Tom Moody

Another team with the name change, this time it’s Karnataka Tuskers who played as Rajputs last season. The second edition of the T10 league started in a blistering fashion as Mohammad Shahzad lit up the League with the fastest fifty in T10 cricket on 12 balls. Karnataka Tuskers chased the target of 95 in 4 overs. However, that was their first of 2 wins in the second edition as they failed to impress other than that opening game. 

This season they don’t have Brendon McCullum as he has retired and Mohammad Shahzad has joined Deccan Gladiators. However, they have a new captain and icon player in Hashim Amla. Tuskers have a new-look team this season which includes Marlon Samuel, who could be deadly on his day. He is joined by Johnson Charles - the explosive West Indian opener - and the stylish Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga. 

In the bowling department, they have Nepali leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane along with Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran. It remains to be seen how this new-loo team perform under the leadership of Hashim Amla

Qalandars
Luke Ronchi, Dawid Malan (Captain), Chris Jordan, Tom Banton, Phil Salt, Laurie Evans, Samit Patel, Jordan Clarke, Seekkuje Prasanna, Lahiru Kumara, Peter Trego. George Garton, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Tom Cadmore. Sultan Ahmed, Hassan Khalid. Coach: Aqib Javed.

A Pakistani team with no Pakistan player in it, seems strange but it’s true. The news we are getting is PCB have not given NOC to any player be it a retired player to play the 3rd edition of the T10 league. PCB have categorically stated that a player who possesses a Pakistani Passport cannot play T10 League as per the tweet of Qalandars CEO Sameen Rana.

Having said all this, Qalandars are raring to make their debut in the T10 league and are led by Dawid Malan - who recently got the fastest century in T20Is for England. He is joined by Luke Ronchi, an explosive opener who can single-handedly change the direction of the game. Tom Banton, Phil Salt are two such batsmen who can make a difference with their batting.

In the bowling department, Qalandars have some experience in Chris Jordan and Samit Patel. The advantage this Qalandars team have is both can score quick runs that will add depth to their batting. Another exciting young player Mujeeb ur Rehman of Afghanistan, who could be a surprise package for Qalandars.

Bangla Tigers
Thisara Perera (Icon Player, Captain), Liam Plunkett, Farhad Reza, Tom Moores, Robbie Frylinck, David Weise, Shehan Jayasuriya, Colin Ingram, Andre Fletcher, Rilee Rossouw, Qais Ahmad, Chirag Suri, Mohammad Abdul Hashem, Kevin Koththiigoda. Coach: Aftab Ahmed.

Another new edition to this year’s T10 League, Bangla Tigers. Like Qalandars they are also making their debut. Tigers are led by Thisara Perera who is also their icon player. He played for Deccan Gladiators (formerly Sindhis) in the second edition.

They are stacked with power hitters from their captain Perera to Colin Ingram to Andre Fletcher to David Wiese, who on his day can be devastating. They have Rossouw and Shehan Jayasuriya to stable the innings in case of any collapse.

The Tigers have English paceman Liam Plunkett in their bowling ranks and Afghani teenage leg spinner who played for Rajputs in the second edition. All in all, they look a little short in their bowling line up. But as we all know cricket is a funny old game, who knows they might end up winning the league in their debut season.

Team Abu Dhabi
Moeen Ali (Icon Player, Captain), Paras Khadka, Harry Gurney, Luke Wright, Corey Anderson, Lewis Gregory, Ben Laughlin, Niroshan Dickwella, Richard Gleeson, Rohan Mustafa, Rameez Shahzad, Hayden Walsh Jr. Alex Davies. Coach: Trevor Bayliss.

The 3rd team to make their debut in the T10 league, Team Abu Dhabi is coached by former England coach Trevor Bayliss and is also led by an Englishmen Moeen Ali, who is also their icon player. He is joined by another Englishman Luke Wright - a power hitter - who if gets going is a treat to watch.

Abu Dhabi has New Zealander all-rounder Corey Anderson, who once scored the joint-fastest ODI century of 36 balls, which has since been broken by AB De Villiers.

Moeen Ali can bowl himself and has Hayden Walsh Jr to accompany him in the bowling department. Hayden Walsh is the one to look out for in this year’s T10 League as he had a spectacular CPL 2019 with Barbados Tridents. They also have the experienced Ben Laughlin to get them through their bowling.

T10 this season looks to be exciting more than ever with some of the big guns playing. The team who can find the right balance between bat and ball will be likely to emerge as the winner come 24th November.