Andy Flower appointed head coach of Adani-owned Gulf Giants in UAE's ILT20

Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower was confirmed as the Adani group owned Gulf Giantsโ€™ head coach for the UAE T20 league (ILT20) on Tuesday, July 12.

 By CX Staff Writer Jul 13, 2022, 06:00 IST
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The first edition of the tournament will be played in January-February 2023.

The Adani Group named its team as the Gulf Giants for UAEโ€™s International League T20 (ILT20) competition to be played in January-February next year, and appointed Andy Flower as its head coach, as confirmed on Tuesday, July 12.

"The 'Gulf Giants' is an extension of Adani Sportsline's brand - Gujarat Giants. Adani Sportsline engages with fans through popular Indian leagues such as the Pro Kabaddi League, the Big Bout Boxing League, and the Ultimate Kho Kho League under this brand. Similarly, it aims to engage and connect with cricket fans worldwide through the brand, Gulf Giants, at the UAE ILT20," the group said after unveiling its logo.

Flower played 63 Tests and 213 ODIs for Zimbabwe in a highly accomplished international career between 1993 and 2003, and has been one of gameโ€™s much sought after coaches since his retirement.

The Adani Group was thrilled to have the 54-year-oldโ€™s experience in their setup.

Also Read: IPL 2022: RPSG group owned Lucknow franchise appoint Andy Flower as Head Coach

"Andy, arguably Zimbabwe's greatest ever cricketer, brings three decades of cricketing experience,โ€ the group remarked. โ€œFlower has previously coached the national teams, England and Afghanistan, as well as franchise teams such as Punjab Kings (IPL), Maratha Arabians (Abu Dhabi T10), Multan Sultans (PSL), St Lucia Kings (CPL) and Delhi Bulls (Abu Dhabi T10)."

Flower, the current Lucknow Super giants coach in the IPL, looked forward to the role.

"I am very proud to be associated with the Adani Group, particularly Adani Sportsline,โ€ said Flower. โ€œMost people are aware of the company's power, size and reach in general, and it's wonderful to see their commitment to sports. It's exciting to be a part of any of the big franchise tournaments, and the ILT20 has big plans to be a major franchise tournament. As leaders, our job is to serve the players as best we can, and this principle is very important to me." 

The six-team competition will be played between January 6 and February 12, and is expected to have 34 matches with a format similar to that of the IPL: Each team plays the others twice in the league stage, followed by four playoff games.


 

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