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NEW DELHI: Former India coach and now at the United Arab Emirates, Lalchand Rajput, hailed the International League T20 (ILT20) as a transformative force for UAE cricket. Rajput credited the league’s global player participation for boosting the national team’s performance, leading to four trophies in just ten months under his leadership.
In an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com, Rajput discussed the rising prominence of the ILT20. Preparing for its third season next month in the UAE, the league has rapidly become a significant platform, and Rajput believes it stands among the better leagues globally.
“ILT20 is a big league,” Rajput stated. “Because if you compare with other leagues, there are seven to nine international players playing in a team. It means you have a lot of international players playing in the league. So it gives a lot of mileage. So, it is one of the better leagues.”
Rajput, who assumed the role of UAE coach in February 2024, emphasised how the ILT20 has greatly benefitted the UAE’s national side.
“ECB [Emirates Cricket Board] players are getting benefitted with that. Otherwise, ECB players won’t interact with the international players. They won’t share dressing rooms with the international players. Then they cannot mature very quickly. When you play against international players, you try to get maturity early because you learn lots of things from them. So that has really helped them. It is early, it is two years only, but I am sure in the years to come the players will get benefitted, and the UAE team will become even better. That’s why our team is performing consistently this year. That has also helped us.”
Since taking charge, Rajput has led the UAE to four trophies in just ten months, including qualifying for the 2025 Asia Cup. Reflecting on his tenure so far, Rajput said, “Experience is good. We really worked hard. When I took over, they did not qualify for the T20 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, or the Asia Cup. So, it was a challenge for me, and I like challenges. Wherever I have coached, I have done well – with the Indian team, the Afghanistan team, or the Zimbabwe team. It is the fourth team now.
“First, we qualified for the Asia Cup. That was very good for the team, players, and community as a whole. Then we went to Namibia and won the triangular series in T20. Then we went to Qatar for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers Group B. We became champions there, winning all six matches, and we progressed to the next round. Now we played the Gulf Cricket Championship and become champions as well. So far, we have won four trophies in the last ten months since I’ve taken over.”
Drawing a parallel between the IPL’s impact on Indian cricket and the ILT20’s potential for the UAE, Rajput highlighted the league’s importance. “Due to the IPL in India, lots of players are coming in, and our Indian team is getting very strong. The same thing with the ILT20 – at least two to four players are playing in the playing XI in each team. These players get exposure with international players. Once they do, they learn a lot, be it in the dressing room, playing alongside them, or interacting with them. That has really helped the ECB players as well. So, the ILT20 has been a big boon for ECB players.”
Looking ahead to the ILT20’s third season, Rajput highlighted the UAE players to watch, including the national team captain Muhammad Waseem.
“Last time, Waseem, our captain, was the highest run scorer [among UAE players], so this time too he is one of the players to watch out for. There are lots of youngsters who have come up, like Dhruv Parashar, who has been doing very well. Then the fast bowlers are there – Ali Naseer and Muhammad Jawadullah. The batter Alishan Sharafu is also one to watch from the national team. These players will have lots of opportunities,” Rajput remarked.
Heaped with special praise, Waseem stood out for his consistent performances. “In the last season, Waseem played for Mumbai Indians [MI Emirates] and was among the league’s highest scorers. And now in the Gulf Cup, he was the highest scorer for our team too,” Rajput said.
Rajput concluded optimistically, envisioning UAE players breaking into the IPL if they excel in the ILT20. “Yes, why not? If they perform consistently, I think these franchises will notice. This ILT20 is very important for them. If they perform consistently in the ILT20, then definitely some of the franchises will look for them in the IPL as well.”
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