The Adani Sportsline-owned Gulf Giants have announced right-handed England batter James Vince as the captain ahead of the inaugural season of the ILT20 league.
Vince carries massive T20 experience as he has featured in over 300 games in the shortest format with a fantastic strike rate in the 130s. He was also part of the England squad that won their first-ever ODI World Cup in 2019.
Meanwhile, Vince has also played in the Big Bash League (BBL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), New Zealand’s Super Smash and South Africa’s Mzansi Super League.
The right-hander, who can also double up as a medium pacer when required, has amassed around 9,000 runs, including four centuries and 51 half-tons in the T20 format.
In the Gulf Giants line-up, Vince will team up with the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, David Wiese and Tom Banton, and will hopefully strike fear in the minds of opposition bowlers.
Speaking on the occasion, Vince said: “This is a great honour and an immense amount of responsibility to be captaining the Gulf Giants in the ILT20. I am glad that the team management and coach Andy Flower have placed trust in me. I will hopefully be able to repay that with plenty of runs. I’ve had the good fortune of being captain in franchise cricket in The Hundred and with Hampshire in the Vitality Blast, and it was a successful stint too. And I hope to be able to continue with that trend in the ILT20.”
Meanwhile, head coach Andy Flower said: “I’ve known James a long time and I’m really looking forward to working with him again for the Gulf Giants. He is not only an outstanding top order player and brilliant fielder, but also one of the best tactical captains I’ve come across. He has experience winning trophies and playing T20 cricket around the world and he will undoubtedly have an impact for us in the new year.”
Notably, the inaugural season of the ILT20 will be played in a 34-match format across three venues in the UAE: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. A total of six teams will be participating in the tournament, which will begin on January 13 in Dubai.
The Gulf Giants will play their campaign opener on January 15 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi.
Gulf Giants squad: James Vince (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Dominic Drakes, David Wiese, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Qais Ahmad, Richard Gleeson, Ollie Pope, Rehan Ahmed, CP Rizwan, Aayan Afzal Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Ashwanth Valthappa.