UAE players Rohan Mustafa, Ronak Panoly eager to play with Hasaranga

DUBAI: The UAE cricketers Rohan Mustafa and Ronak Panoly are looking forward to rubbing shoulders and picking the brains of star Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga during the first season of the ILT20, which is set to be held in the UAE from January 13.

Both Rohan and Ronak are part of the Desert Vipers side, who will take on Sharjah Warriors in their first match of the tournament on January 15 at the Dubai International Stadium.

"I am really looking forward to playing alongside Colin Munro. I played with him in the Global T20 Canada, he was the captain of our side there. I am also looking forward to playing with Wanindu Hasaranga as he is one of the best leg spinners in the world," said top-order batter Mustafa, who has scored 1249 runs in 71 matches in his T20 career so far.

On the other hand, Panoly is a batting all-rounder and he played for the UAE in the ICC U19 World Cup.

"I would want to be around Alex Hales and try to learn from him because he is an explosive opener. I would like to incorporate some of the aspects of his game into my own. I would also like to face Wanindu Hasaranga in the nets as that would be a really good challenge," Ronak said in a media release.

Asked about how he started playing the game, Mustafa said, "I started playing cricket in 2003 and my father wanted me to play the sport. I kept working hard and eventually, I started playing for a domestic team. Later on, I did well in the U19 circuit which helped me to find a place in the national side in 2014."

Meanwhile, Panoly said that he started playing the game with plastic bats.

"Cricket was always a big thing for me as I am from an Indian family. I started playing the game with plastic bats and then later on I decided to take up the sport as a career. And I am glad that I have moved through the ranks and found a place in a DP World ILT20 team," he said.

Both cricketers also spoke about how they reacted when they got to know that they will be playing in the ILT20.

"I was really happy when I got to know that I will be playing for the Desert Vipers in the World ILT20. It's such a big team and it has so many big names. This is a dream accomplished for me as everyone wants to play in such a big league. And when you play for these kinds of teams, you get an opportunity from other teams," said Mustafa.

Panoly said that he is very thankful for the opportunity, "I was really excited when I heard about the DP World ILT20. I knew that I had to work hard to get picked by a franchise. And then when the Desert Vipers offered a place on their side, I was thoroughly excited. I am really thankful for the opportunity."

Making its debut on January 13, the ILT20 promises to be a high-octane competition with some of the greatest cricketing superstars on the planet set to make their way to the UAE to kick off the league. The league will be played in a 34-match format across the UAE's world-class cricket facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Franchise teams, comprising over 100 International and 24 UAE-based players, include Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).