Gulf Giants
{{Short description|Cricket team in UAE's ILT20}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox cricket team
|name=Gulf Giants
|image=Gulf_Giants_Logo.svg
|league=International League T20
|captain=James Vince
|coach=Andy Flower
|colours=Orange and Gold
{{color box|#f68158}} {{color box|#fcb247}}
|owner=Adani Group
|founded={{Start date and age|2022}}
| first_t20=v. Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi; 15 January 2023
|ground=Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
| city = Dubai, United Arab Emirates
|capacity=25,000
|title1=ILT20
|title1wins=1 (2023)
|title2=
|title2wins=
|website=http://www.gulfgiants.com
|t_title=T20 kit
|t_pattern_la=_goldborder
|t_pattern_b=_gulfgiants23
|t_pattern_ra=_goldborder
|t_pattern_pants=
|t_leftarm=f95800
|t_body=f68354
|t_rightarm=f95000
|t_pants=f92300
}}
The Gulf Giants is a professional franchise cricket team that participates in the DP World International League T20. It was one of the six teams that were announced for the inaugural season of the tournament. Founded in 2022, the team is owned by the sports arm of India’s leading business conglomerate Adani Group, which also owns Gujarat Giants in the PKL and Gujarat Giants in the WPL.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-22 |title=ILT20: Adani's Gulf Giants Appoint England Batter James Vince As Captain |url=https://news.abplive.com/sports/adani-gulf-giants-england-batter-james-vince-captain-gulf-giants-for-ilt20-1571253 |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=news.abplive.com |language=en}}
The Gulf Giants became the inaugural champions of the ILT20 after they beat Desert Vipers by 7 wickets in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. The Giants are captained by English batter, James Vince,{{Cite web |date=2022-12-22 |title=Gulf Giants announce England batter James Vince as captain for ILT20 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/gulf-giants-announce-england-batter-james-vince-as-captain-for-ilt20-101671710644086.html |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}} while Andy Flower{{Cite web |date=2022-07-12 |title=Andy Flower named head coach of Adani-owned Gulf Giants in UAE's ILT20 |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/andy-flower-head-coach-adani-group-owned-gulf-giants-uae-ilt20-cricket-league/article65631049.ece |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Sportstar |language=en}} serves as the head coach.
The Gulf Giants retained most of their core team ahead of the second season of the ILT20, and added other T20 stars such as Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, and Usman Khan to their roster. They qualified for the Playoffs but were unable to reach the final.{{Cite web |last=Witney |first=Katya |date=2023-08-21 |title=ILT20 2024 Squad Updates: List Of New Signings For Each International League T20 Team |url=https://wisden.com/stories/global-t20-leagues/ilt20-2024/ilt20-2024-squad-updates-list-new-signings-international-league-t20-team |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Wisden |language=en-GB}}
History
In August 2022, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) announced the establishment of the International League T20, a Twenty20 Cricket competition to be started in 2023. The teams for the competition, representing 6 different regions of the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai, were put up for auction in UAE in September 2022. The Gulf franchise was purchased by Adani Sportsline, led by Adani Group. The team unveiled their logo and jersey in January 2023 through their social media handles.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-14 |title=Logo Unveil |url=https://www.gulfgiants.com/videos/logo-unveil-gulf-giants-adani-sportsline |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Gulf Giants |language=en}}
In January 2023, Gulf Giants released their anthem ‘Bring It On’, composed and performed by the popular Bollywood composer Salim-Sulaiman.
= 2024 Season=
The Gulf Giants started their second season strongly by defeating the Sharjah Warriors by 31 runs. Jamie Smith scored 42 runs off 18 balls. Contributions from Usman Khan and Jordan Cox helped Gulf Giants post 198. Jamie Overton then starred with a 3-wicket haul as the Giants got their season off to a winning start.{{Cite web |title=Sharjah Warriors vs Gulf Giants, 1st Match, Fri, Jan 19, International League T20, 2024 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/82754/sw-vs-gg-1st-match-international-league-t20-2024 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
Overton scored 41 in 18 balls against the MI Emirates in the Giants’ second game during the run chase but it was not enough to chase the score set by the MI Emirates.{{Cite web |title=MI Emirates vs Gulf Giants, 4th Match, Sun, Jan 21, International League T20, 2024 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/82773/mie-vs-gg-4th-match-international-league-t20-2024 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
Chris Lynn then scored 67 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, but the Knight Riders managed to chase down the total. After the loss against the Vipers in their next game, the Gulf Giants went on a 4-match winning streak. Shimron Hetmyer’s innings of 53 helped the Giants put up a score of 187. Zuhaib Zubair took 4 wickets for 22 runs and Giants picked up a crucial win.
They faced MI Emirates in Qualifier 1, where they were defeated by 45 runs. The Giants faced the Dubai Capitals in Qualifier 2, where James Vince scored a fifty. The Giants scored 138 runs in their 20 overs, which was not enough as the Dubai Capitals chased down the score in 15.5 overs.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=DC beat Giants, DC won by 9 wickets (with 25 balls remaining) |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/international-league-t20-2023-24-1406886/gulf-giants-vs-dubai-capitals-qualifier-2-1406921/live-cricket-score |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
Vince was the highest run-scorer in the tournament, scoring 356 runs, while Zuhaib Zubair was the highest wicket-taker for the Giants, with 11 wickets.{{Cite web |title=International League T20, 2024 Statistics |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/7257/international-league-t20-2024 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
= 2023 season =
Gulf Giants began their season with a match-up against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Thanks to Sanchit Sharma's spell of 3/9 and Chris Jordan's 3/28, Giants were able to restrict Knight Riders to a low total of 114/9 in their 20 overs. Giants were able to chase down this target in 14.2 overs, with James Vince scoring the first half-century for the team. He finished with 62(44).{{Cite web |title=Abu Dhabi Knight Riders vs Gulf Giants, 3rd Match, Sun, Jan 15, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59015/adkr-vs-glg-3rd-match-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
They played their second match against Dubai Capitals, which they won by 6 wickets.{{Cite web |title=Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants, 5th Match, Mon, Jan 16, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59027/dcp-vs-glg-5th-match-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}} Rehan Ahmed scalped three wickets and Vince top-scored with his knock of 83*(56). Giants went on to win their next two matches, until their winning streak was broken by Sharjah Warriors, who defeated them by 21 runs. This was the only match that Giants lost in the league stage.{{Cite web |title=Gulf Giants vs Sharjah Warriors, 14th Match, Mon, Jan 23, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59076/gg-vs-sw-14th-match-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
Their next two league matches were abandoned due to rain. They won their eighth match against MI Emirates, with this win they qualified into the play-offs with still two matches to spare. Giants moved on to win their last two league matches, where David Wiese took the best bowling figures against Sharjah Warriors, his figures read 5/20 in his quota of 4 overs. Giants finished the league stage by topping the table with 16 points from 7 wins in 10 matches.{{Cite web |title=International League T20, 2023 Points Table |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/5106/international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
In the play-offs, Giants faced Desert Vipers in the Qualifier-1.{{Cite web |title=Gulf Giants vs Desert Vipers, Qualifier 1, Wed, Feb 8, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59169/gg-vs-dv-qualifier-1-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}} Vipers defeated Giants by 19 runs to qualify for the final, and the Giants had to play Qualifier-2 in order to play in the final. They were matched up against MI Emirates in the Qualifier-2, courtesy Vince's brilliant knock of 83*(56), they won the match by 4 wickets.{{Cite web |title=Gulf Giants vs MI Emirates, Qualifier 2, Fri, Feb 10, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59176/gg-vs-mie-qualifier-2-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}} They faced Vipers in the final at the Dubai International Stadium, Vipers posted a total of 146/8 with Wanindu Hasaranga scoring a quickfire 55 off 27 balls and Carlos Brathwaite finished with figures 3/19, he scalped the wickets of Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Tom Curran, Qais Ahmad restricted the Vipers by taking the wicket of in form Hasaranga. In the second innings, Chris Lynn smashed an unbeaten 72 off 50 deliveries to help the team win the match and the tournament.{{Cite web |title=Desert Vipers vs Gulf Giants, Final, Sun, Feb 12, International League T20, 2023 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/59183/dv-vs-gg-final-international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}} Brathwaite was adjudged the player of the match in the final, Chris Jordan ended up winning the green belt for taking most wickets (20) in the tournament, and Vince finished the season as the second highest run-scorer with 439 runs in 11 matches.{{Cite web |title=International League T20, 2023 Statistics |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/5106/international-league-t20-2023 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
Current squad
- Players with international caps are listed in bold.
- Retained players for Season 3 are in the below list {{Cite web |title=ILT20 Season 3: Russell, Narine, Warner, Pooran among top retentions |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ilt20-season-3-andre-russell-sunil-narine-david-warner-nicholas-pooran-among-top-retentions-1440036 |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
!Name !Nationality !Birth date !Batting style !Bowling style !Year signed !Notes |
| colspan="7" |Batsmen |
|---|
| James Vince
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|1991|3|14|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm medium | style="text-align:center;" |2023 |Captain |
| Shimron Hetmyer
|{{cr|WIN}} |{{birth date and age|1996|12|26|df=y}} |Left-handed |Right-arm off-spin | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| colspan="7" |All-rounders |
| Aayan Afzal Khan
|{{cr|UAE}} |{{birth date and age|2005|11|15|df=y}} |Right-handed |Slow left-arm orthodox | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| Gerhard Erasmus
|{{cr|NAM}} |{{birth date and age|1995|4|11|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm off-break | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| Dipendra Singh Airee
|{{cr|Nepal}} |{{birth date and age|2000|01|24|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm off break | style="text-align:center;" |2024 | |
| Jamie Overton
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|1994|4|10|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm fast |style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| Rehan Ahmed
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|2004|8|13|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm leg break |style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| colspan="7" |Wicket-keepers |
| Jordan Cox
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|2000|10|21|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm off break | style="text-align:center;" |2024 | |
| Jamie Smith
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|2000|7|12|df=y}} |Right-handed |– | style="text-align:center;" |2024 | |
| colspan="7" |Spin bowlers |
| Zuhaib Zubair
|{{cr|UAE}} |31 December 2003 (age 20) |Right-handed |Right-arm leg break | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| colspan="7" |Pace bowlers |
| Chris Jordan
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|1988|10|4|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm fast-medium | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| Richard Gleeson
|{{cr|ENG}} |{{birth date and age|1987|12|2|df=y}} |Right-handed |Right-arm fast-medium | style="text-align:center;" |2023 | |
| Blessing Muzarabani{{Cite web |title=Blessing Muzarabani Profile - Cricket Player Zimbabwe {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/blessing-muzarabani-827051 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
|{{CR|ZIM}} |2 October 1996 (age 27) |Right-handed |Right-arm fast-medium | style="text-align:center;" |2024 | |
Statistics
= Season summary =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Year !Played !Wins !Losses !Tied/NR |
| 2022-23
|10 |7 |1 |2 |
|---|
| 2024{{Cite web |title=International League T20, 2024 Points Table |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/7257/international-league-t20-2024 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.cricbuzz.com |language=en}}
|10 |6 |4 |0 |
| colspan="5" |Source: ESPNCricinfo{{Cite web |date=February 6, 2023 |title=International League T20 Points Table |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/international-league-t20-2022-23-1326657/points-table-standings |access-date=June 10, 2023 |website=ESPN Cricinfo}} |
Note:
- NR indicates No result.
- Abandoned matches are indicated as no result.
= Seasons =
Administration and support staff
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
!Position !Name |
| Head coach
|Andy Flower{{Cite web |date=2023-12-18 |title=Gulf Giants Team 2024: Players list, captain, Coach and Schedule |url=https://ilt20uae.com/gulf-giants-team/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |language=en-US}} |
| Bowling coach |
| Fielding coach |
| Strength & conditioning coach |
Statistics and records
= 2024 =
= Most runs =
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Matches !Runs |
| James Vince
|12 |356 |
| Chris Lynn
|10 |284 |
| Shimron Hetmyer
|12 |228 |
| Jordan Cox
|12 |215 |
| Usman Khan
|8 |164 |
Source: [https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/team/batting-most-runs-career/gulf-giants-7035/twenty20-matches-6 ESPNCricinfo].
= Most wickets =
| class="wikitable"
!Player name !Matches !Wickets |
| Zuhaib Zubair
|8 |11 |
| Chris Jordan
|11 |11 |
| Jamie Overton
|10 |10 |
| Aayan Khan
|8 |6 |
| Blessing Muzarabani
|7 |6 |
Source: [https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/team/bowling-most-wickets-career/gulf-giants-7035/twenty20-matches-6 ESPNCricinfo].
= 2022-2023 =
= Most runs =
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Matches !Runs |
| James Vince
|11 |439 |
| Chris Lynn
|8 |278 |
| Shimron Hetmyer
|10 |257 |
| Gerhard Erasmus
|8 |141 |
| David Wiese
|11 |103 |
Source: [https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/batting-most-runs-career/international-league-t20-2022-23-14831?team=7035 ESPNCricinfo].
= Most wickets =
| class="wikitable"
!Player name !Matches !Wickets |
| Chris Jordan
|10 |20 |
| David Wiese
|11 |18 |
| Carlos Brathwaite
|5 |8 |
| Rehan Ahmed
|6 |8 |
| Sanchit Sharma
|11 |7 |
Source: [https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-most-wickets-career/international-league-t20-2022-23-14831?team=7035 ESPNCricinfo].
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
References
External links
- [https://www.ilt20.ae/#/teams/4 Gulf Giants on ILT20]
{{Gulf Giants}}
{{International League T20}}
Category:Cricket in the United Arab Emirates