DUBAI: Considered as one of the more exciting talents within the Afghanistan cricketing family, young Qais Ahmad can’t wait to join his teammates in the Adani Sportsline owned Gulf Giants side. Adani’s Gulf Giants has some of the most talented and experienced white-ball cricketers in the game, and Ahmad is looking forward to working and learning from them.
“Adani’s Gulf Giants’ has a well-balanced squad and the players not only in-form but have also played in the recent T20 World Cup, and have big match experience. I am very happy to be part of this side and hope to learn a few things from the senior pros,” Ahmad said.
The leg-break bowler has a fair amount experience under his belt in franchise cricket, having plied his trade in Australia, West Indies, England and Pakistan. “The inaugural edition of the ILT20 will not be an easy tournament as the roster has a lot of well-established players. I have worked and trained hard for this tournament and I hope that I can stand my own among these big players.”
Ahmad is well versed with the conditions in the UAE, and says that the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi is among his favourite venues. Speaking about the cricket he has played previously, Ahmad added that he’s always enjoyed playing with the Afghanistan legend Rashid Khan.
“When I play with the likes of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan, it is not only a lot of fun but also a big moment of education for me. Rashid bhai shares all the knowledge of the game, and those sessions are very enjoyable for a youngster like me,” Ahmad, who has bagged 4 wickets in 2 games for the national team, said.
Ahmad’s also played more than 100 T20 games outside of international matches, and bagged close to 150 wickets up until now. Speaking about his experiences in playing in UAE, Ahmad said, “I have played a lot of cricket in UAE and I think the weather and wickets will also be conducive for cricket. This part of the world allows a bit of help for the spinners and that is a good thing for players like me.”
Looking ahead, Ahmad said, “We have all worked very hard in the build-up to the ILT20. I can promise to put in my best efforts for Adani’s Gulf Giants. And I hope that together, we can bring the trophy back to the Gulf Giants camp at the end of the tournament.”
Adani’s Gulf Giants open their campaign in the ILT20 against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders on 15th January at the iconic Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Gulf Giants squad: James Vince (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Jordan, Chris Lynn, Tom Banton, Dominic Drakes, David Wiese, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Qais Ahmad, Richard Gleeson, Ollie Pope, Rehan Ahmed, CP Rizwan, Aayan Afzal Khan, Sanchit Sharma, and Ashwanth Valthappa.
About Adani Sportsline
Adani Sportsline is the sports arm of the diversified Adani Group, which has presence in ports, logistics, energy, utility, infrastructure, electric power generation and transmission, mining, airport operations, natural gas, and food processing.
Formed in 2019, Adani Sportsline has an overarching philosophy to inculcate a culture of sports at the grassroots level and create globally competitive opportunities for future champions in India. In line with the group’s vision of nation-building, the company aims to build a world-class ecosystem that nurtures sporting talent, accelerates the sports economy and plays the role of an enabler in India’s journey to become a leading sporting nation.
About Gulf Giants
‘Gulf Giants’ is an extension of Adani Sportsline’s brand – Gujarat Giants. It aims to engage and connect with cricket fans worldwide through the brand, ‘Gulf Giants’, at the UAEILT20. The word ‘Gulf’ in the name refers to the region in which the matches will be played.
The golden falcon in the logo is the national bird of the UAE that has a rich culture and history and is regarded as a powerful symbol of strength. To maintain the uniformity of the team’s identity, the logo’s colours are drawn from the Giants team family.
Adani Sportsline announced its team for the UAE’s International League T20 as ‘Gulf Giants’ in July 2022. The team plays under the able guidance of its Head Coach Andy Flower, former Zimbabwe captain and 2010 ICC World T20-winning coach.
