ILT20 accelerating growth of local, regional talent, Simon Doull says

Dubai: The DP World ILT20 has continued to open doors for emerging talent from associate nations, including the UAE. With the fourth edition once again showcasing several young players delivering strong performances, the exposure gained from sharing dressing rooms with elite international cricketers is helping them prepare for competition at the highest level.

“The standard of the local players is lifting, courtesy of being part of this tournament over the last two or three years,” said former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, who is part of the ILT20 commentary panel. “We’re seeing more of them being trusted with important roles, and that’s a real positive from this season,” Doull added.

The 56-year-old believes the ILT20 is steadily cementing its reputation as a high-quality global T20 competition. “The standard in general has been great, and it’s getting better year-on-year. That’s one of the things that’s impressed me most,” he said.

Doull singled out the development of UAE pacer Khuzaima Tanveer, praising his rapid progress this season. “From a bowling point of view, I’ve been really impressed with Khuzaima Tanveer. He’s a guy I hadn’t seen much of before, but he’s got all the attributes to be a good international bowler when that time comes. He’s got good pace, good variations, and he’s used the facilities really well. He’s been a big part of why the Desert Vipers have been so strong this season,” he said.

He also highlighted the consistency of experienced campaigners. “You always look to your top-order players, and from my point of view Muhammad Waseem [335 runs and top scorer] has been very good again,” he said, before adding, “From an all-rounder point of view, Sam Curran [323 runs] has been the standout for me. He’s contributed with both bat and ball, has seven wickets in the tournament and is scoring runs again.”

Global calendar

Discussing the league’s place in the global calendar, the former fast bowler felt the timing has worked perfectly. “I love the tournament. The window this year has been critical. It’s a great time of year to play and fits nicely into the calendar. I think it will only continue to improve,” he noted.

Doull also welcomed the league’s growing regional reach, with each franchise including a player from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. “The league started with a focus on developing UAE players, and now it’s expanding into regional growth. Being involved with franchises, training around experienced players, and taking that learning back home is crucial for lifting standards,” he said.

“Players must earn their spots. But standards won’t improve unless they’re included in some way. Over the next few years, you might see more opportunities coming as that development continues.”

Development programme

He further praised the ILT20 Player Development Initiative, which integrated seven African cricketers into franchise setups this season, noting its potential impact across the continent. “For any young player who gets that opportunity, being able to train alongside international stars like Kieron Pollard, Phil Salt, Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone is massive. You pick their brains, have conversations after net sessions about what it takes to get a wicket against that type of player, and you take that knowledge and experience back with you to help others improve.”

Dubai Capitals’ Waqar Salamkheil has led the wicket charts with 17 scalps, and his left-arm wrist spin has put him in contention for a second White Belt (Best Bowler). Doull was pleased to see spin bowling continue to thrive in the shortest format.

“We once thought T20 cricket might be the death of spin, but that hasn’t been the case at all. Every franchise wants quality wrist spin, and these grounds are a great size to utilise it properly,” he remarked.

With the top five run-scorers this season striking at under 135, Doull stressed the importance of game awareness in modern T20 batting. “It’s all about situational awareness. In the first innings, strike-rate is vital. In a chase, if you win the game, it doesn’t bother me at all.”