Dubai: Five of the top venues in the UAE will be bustling with Twenty20 cricket excitement from Tuesday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 Qualifier will be held in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, with 16 countries set to produce their best. This tournament which will become the biggest tournament to be held in UAE was officially launched at the ICC Global Cricket Academy by ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat in the presence of team captains, coaches and managers of all the 16 nations yesterday.

Afghanistan, the winners of the last qualifiers will take on Papua New Guinea in the first match of this 12 day tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It was at this same venue that Afghanistan created history two year ago by stunning the top associate nations to win the qualifiers and make it to the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies.

Kabir Khan who was their coach during the qualifiers has returned to assist Afghanistan after a short stint as the UAE cricket team coach. Nawroz Mangal, the skipper of the Afghanistan team, expressed excitement about Khan's return.

He said: "We have prepared with specific plans where Kabir (Khan) has made a big impact. We have analysed other teams, we have talked about combinations and the specific roles for batsmen and so it is good to have Kabir for a new three-year term."

Ireland who had lost to Afghanistan in the last qualifier in UAE is here with better preparation. Though they too qualified for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 they are keen to put up a better show.

Ireland skipper William Porterfield said: "My team has made rapid gains in terms of experience and exposure in the Twenty20 format since then. We have played a lot more cricket against the major teams. In addition our lads have played a lot of Twenty20 cricket for counties in England. So all that experience is going to help the side in this tournament."

In fact, all the 16 teams have arrived with excellent preparation. For example Nepal is here after a tour of India playing against strong teams in Mumbai and Delhi. So keen is Nepal captain Paras Khadka to produce a sterling performance here that he said: "To qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 would be the biggest achievement in the history of Nepalese sports. We have the opportunity to create and make history and we will try and give every ounce of what we have in us to achieve our goal of qualification.

Though UAE failed to make it to the qualifiers, another GCC country is hoping to create waves in the event. Oman captain Hemal Mehta said: "We have been practising at the new turf wicket laid at Barkha farm of Kanaksi Khimji (Chairman of Oman Cricket) which is the first ever turf wicket in Oman. Apart from the practice we have been busy with our domestic season which is played on the T20 format."