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With the third season of the International League T20 (ILT20) commencing on January 11, Gulf Giants, one of the most successful teams in the league, are gearing up for yet another exciting campaign. After clinching the title in the inaugural season and making it to the playoffs in the second, the foundations are in place for Gulf Giants to reclaim their crown this year.
According to a release from Gulf Giants, the combination of Andy Flower as Head Coach and James Vince as Captain will continue to be at the helm with a solid line-up of both domestic and international players, including new additions like Tim David, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and more. The team also boasts local talents like Aayan Khan, and Zuhaib Zubair along with the new recruits Saghir Khan and Uzair Khan, who were part of the Gulf Giants side that won the ILT20 Development League in October last year. Aayan Khan, who picked up six wickets at an economy of 6.83 last season, is an essential part of Gulf Giants' bowling line-up. Another domestic young gun, Zubair is expected to shine after his impressive performances last season, proving to be a viable option with the ball. Left-handed middle order batter Saghir, who scored 193 runs in 6 matches at a staggering strike rate of 235 and Uzair Khan, a left-arm medium pacer who took 15 wickets in 6 matches with an economy rate of 5.4 are also the domestic stars to watch out for in the season three. Meanwhile, Captain Vince, the league's top scorer with 795 runs in 23 matches, is a pivotal figure leading Gulf Giants' batting order. He will be supported by a power-packed batting lineup that includes the likes of Ibrahim Zadran, Shimron Hetmyer and Jordan Cox. New signing Adam Lyth too brings a wealth of experience to the squad with 4771 runs in 206 T20 matches under his belt. Australian power-hitter Tim David adds a reliable option as a finisher with a strike rate of over 160 in T20s, while top-order batter Zadran from Afghanistan, provides a stable option to anchor the innings from the start. With 31 wickets in 21 matches, the league's top wicket-taker, Chris Jordan leads the bowing attack alongside fellow England international Tymal Mills, coming into the team having taken 286 wickets in 231 T20 matches. All-rounders Tom Curran, Rehan Ahmed, and Dominic Drakes are expected to contribute to all departments and ensure plenty of batting depth in the lower order. Meanwhile, pacers Mark Adair and Blessing Muzarabani add more flexibility to the bowling unit. Gulf Giants will begin their campaign on January 12, when they take on Sharjah Warriorz at Dubai International Stadium. The inaugural season champions won both their matches against Sharjah Warriorz last season and will look to continue their dominance over their opponents as they look to begin their quest with a win. Looking forward to the new season, Head Coach Andy Flower said that the team is excited to get started with another campaign. "We're excited to get started with another campaign with this exceptionally talented side. We have managed to assemble a strong core to build our campaign with a blend of international and domestic players adding firepower and depth to our team. We have our plans in place and we will look to go step-by-step in the season to achieve our objectives. We are looking forward to another competitive season," Flower was quoted in a release from Gulf Giants as saying. (ANI)
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