Dubai:The International League T20 will be back in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and on everyone's television screens after just 10 months, with the tournament being advanced by a month and a little bit more because of the T20 World Cup. Since the league begins much earlier than the Big Bash League and the SA20, the altered window has improved player availability from all over the world, including players from Australia, South Africa, and India in the fourth edition. A few former Indian players have been lured to participate in the tournament.
The competition is on its way to really become an international tournament, with Kuwaiti and Saudi Arabian players included in the tournament for the first time. And since Australian, South African and several other overseas players who are regulars in BBL and SA20 have also decided to ply their trade in the ILT20 and so has a couple of retired Indian players.
was spotted playing for the Paarl Royals in the SA20 earlier this year. Despite wearing the hats of coach and commentator, he is still pursuing his career as a player. Karthik was roped in as a replacement player by the Sharjah Warriorz for and was pre-signed before the auction.
"I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the ILT20 tournament. In a September Warriorz statement, Karthik said, "I am happy to be here, and I know they are a young team, aspiring to do some special things." The first Indian player with a cap to represent the Warriorz in the ILT20 will be Karthik. Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan (both Dubai Capitals) and (MI Emirates) have previously been part of the tournament.
Karthik will join the likes of Tim David, Sikandar Raza, Matheesha Pathirana, Mark Chapman, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and at the Warriorz.
Another retired Indian player, Piyush Chawla, was signed before the auction by the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders as a wildcard pick. After playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders for six seasons (2014–2019), Chawla returned to the team, albeit in a different competition.
Chawla will be accompanied by the former Indian U19 World Cup-winning captain and now an American cricketer, Unmukt Chand, who also plays for the Knight Riders' satellite franchise in Major League Cricket. In addition to purple regulars Andre Russell, the Knight Riders have bolstered their roster with players like Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Sherfane Rutherford.