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Abu Dhabi T10: Captains Gear Up For New Era As Season Starts With Triple-header

Abu Dhabi Sports Council: The captains of the six franchises came together for the pre-tournament press conference. Setting out their ambitions for the season ahead in the 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 as crickets fastest format begins on Saturday. Before the action begins, team captains Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Fakhar Zaman and Moeen Ali shared their thoughts on title defences, team identity and the demands of the 10-over game. The season opens with a triple-header on Saturday as defending champions UAE Bulls take on Yas Lions in the opening match, and the Royal Desert Champions face the Emirates Eagles early in the evening. This will be followed by United Tigers meeting newcomers Arabian Aces in the night match to conclude the hectic day. Kieron Pollard, whose UAE Bulls begin their title defence against the Yas Lions, said: Its always tougher to defend a title. When youre the reigning champions, youre the team to beat. But everybody starts fresh tomorrow. Its a new season, and were all excited to get our campaign going on the right note. On the importance of setting the tone early, the Yas Lions Jason Holder said: Its crucial to start well, especially in a format like this, but weve seen how you can always turn things around in this format. We have a great group of guys, and were all raring to go tomorrow. On what makes the 10-over format particularly challenging for captains, the Royal Desert Champions Nicholas Pooran said: Things move very quickly in this format. It adds to the excitement, but it means you make judgement calls in a short span, and right or wrong, you dont have time to dwell. As a captain, its important to support the team so they can execute their skills. On balancing power-hitting and bowling, the Emirates Eagles Rovman Powell said: If you want to go all the way, which is undoubtedly our goal this season, you have to nail both departments. Weve got the right balance in the squad. The senior players need to lead the way, and guys like Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult will play a huge role. On what will be his teams biggest strength this season, the United Tigers Fakhar Zaman said: We have no shortage of talent in our team. We have multiple match-winners, and thats a factor that sets us apart. It helps that many of us are already familiar with each other, and the young guys are gelling well. Were thrilled for the new season. On the identity the Arabian Aces want to establish as a new franchise, Moeen Ali said: We want to be a franchise that players are proud to represent, built on a culture of excellence. Absolutely, well fight hard and look to showcase our skills, but we also want every player to grow during their stint with the team. The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 runs from 720 November at Abu Dhabis celebrated Zayed Cricket Stadium. It is the first full tournament since Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH) took majority ownership of the event, supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). The format stays the same: high-intensity 10-over matches, international star power and nail-biting finishes. On the identity the Arabian Aces want to establish as a new franchise, Moeen Ali said: We want to be a franchise that players are proud to represent, built on a culture of excellence. Absolutely, well fight hard and look to showcase our skills, but we also want every player to grow during their stint with the team. Also Read: Special Cricket Stories Article Source: IANS