Gulf Giants’ Aayan Afzal Khan praises ILT20, eager for Season 3

UAE Cricketer Aayan Afzal Khan Gears Up for ILT20 Season with Gulf Giants

One of the country’s top young talents, UAE cricketer Aayan Afzal Khan is eagerly preparing for his third season in the International League T20 (ILT20) with Gulf Giants.

Aayan, who has 36 T20 matches and 37 wickets, sees the league as an important platform for local players to showcase their skills and compete against international players.

This league is very important because it gives local players an opportunity to compete against international players,” Aayan said. “Players who perform well in this league will get opportunities in other franchise leagues as well.”

The ILT20 requires at least two UAE players to be included in every XI, ensuring that local cricketers play an important role in the competition. Aayan agreed with the initiative, saying, “ILT20 is a great league and a great initiative to give a platform to UAE players. In the future, more players will be interested knowing that this league offers opportunities to grow. It is a big effort and we (UAE players) have also worked hard so all the owners have faith in the local players.

The Gulf Giants are the best team in the league, winning the title in their inaugural season and making the playoffs in their second season.

About the team’s journey, Aayan said, “The first season was good for our team because we won that season. In the second season we qualified for the playoffs, but overall, these two seasons have been good for our team. Our team works like a family and every player has done their part well. .

Aayan also recalled a memorable moment from last season, “The most memorable moment for me was when I took two wickets in two balls against Sharjah Warriors in my first over. That was special for me because it gave our team a great start. We. That match was comfortably won.”

The Gulf giants are set to open their campaign against Sharjah Warriors on January 12, 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium. Aayan thanked the fans for their steadfast support and said, “My message to all the fans in the UAE is to keep going. Thank you to all the fans and supporters who came to the stadium to support us as we won the trophy in the first season.

The ILT20, which will be held from January 11 to February 9, 2025, will feature many international superstars including Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, David Warner and exciting debutants like Tim Southee and Fakhar Zaman. Seasoned players and budding stars like Aayan are set to present yet another exciting season of league cricket.