Abu Dhabi to host T10 League for next five years

Shaji Ul Mulk (right), Innovator and Chairman of the T10 League, with other officials during an event in Abu Dhabi

The magnificent Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host the T10 League for the next five years, starting with the 2019 season, a press release from Abu Dhabi Cricket said.
Abu Dhabi Cricket, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has signed a five-year agreement with the organisers of the T10 League. 
To celebrate the arrival of this exciting league in Abu Dhabi, ADC, ADSC and DCT Abu Dhabi organised a T10 match on the seafront of Abu Dhabi's iconic Corniche, with T10 stars Colin Ingram, Andre Fletcher and Luke Ronchi having a bat on the beach.
Shaji Ul Mulk, Innovator and Chairman of the T10 League, was delighted with the new partnership. 
"T10 has landed onto the global cricket scene, and this combined partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council, DCT Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Cricket gives T10 a major boost in establishing itself as a credible international form of the game," Mulk said.
"We are very pleased to be moving to Zayed Cricket Stadium, as we take one of the world's most exciting sporting cities by storm. The third season of T10 cricket will allow over 100,000 fans the chance to see some of the biggest names in cricket battle it out on the pitch over 90 fast minutes of action.
"My thanks to both ADSC and DCT Abu Dhabi for their support of the T10 league. I'm excited to see the tournament in its new home of Abu Dhabi, cementing the city's reputation as a central destination for cricket lovers worldwide."
Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, says Abu Dhabi fans can now expect exciting cricket in the shortest format of the game.
"This announcement is fantastic news for Abu Dhabi. Our city is a major global hub with a huge variety of attractions that cater to people of all ages and backgrounds, and the T10 tournament's presence in the city for the next five years represents an exciting opportunity to attract even more visitors from around the globe," he said.
The T10 format was first introduced to the UAE in 2017. 
Matt Boucher, acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket, said: "Zayed Cricket Stadium has been a fulcrum for the city's sporting life, from providing high quality sport tuition right through to the very best first-class international cricket. This agreement is the perfect private-public partnership for a major sporting event, and you won't find one much bigger than the T10 in the UAE.
"This move to Zayed Cricket Stadium represents a big next step in the growth of Abu Dhabi's cricketing ecosystem, by giving fans access to a combined sports and entertainment offering through hosting all forms of the game. Whether it's international Test matches or the now shortest form of cricket the game has to offer, we're continuing to be the home of the sport in the UAE."