ILT20: Cricket stars swap bats for golf clubs on fun afternoon in Dubai

Sharjah Warriors may have been bundled out of the inaugural DP World ILT20 but wicketkeeper-batsman Chris Benjamin brought some smiles back to the squad when he won a fun golf day hosted at the award-winning Els Club on Tuesday.

Benjamin teamed up with DP World ILT20 Partnership Head, Ishan Chopra, cricket commentator Nikhil Chopra, and Rohit Gupta to finish top of the heap after nine enjoyable holes of golf.

Mohan De Silva, Vice President of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, flaunted his driving and putting skills in the company of Vivian Verma, Dheeraj Baruah, and Debjit Sengupta to bag the second place.

Meanwhile, England's James Vince and Namibia's David Weiss, the architect of Gulf Giants' victory over Sharjah Warriors on Monday, paired with New Zealand’s Colin De Grandhomme and DP World’s Commercial Manager Capt. Vikam Manchanda, to claim the third sport.

With ILT20 playoffs around the corner, several players, officials and commentators including the legendary Waqar Younis, Ian Bishop, and Simon Doull, participated in the golf day.

Golf is the go-to sport for athletes looking for a change of scene and the afternoon ‘best ball’ competition demonstrated why it is the game many sportsmen turn to as a new pastime.

Wiese, whose deadly spell of five for 20 bowled the Warriors out of the ILT20 said: "I'd be lying if I said that golf wasn't a sport that I look forward to playing. As a cricketer, being able to compete in other sports is great.”

Grandhomme, who like Weiss plays for the Gulf Giants, believes golf is a game that helps you keep fit and teaches you to discipline yourself.

“As a sportsman, there's always something that you need to work on, and it's fun being able to do it while playing some golf,” he said.

Gulf Giants skipper, James Vince, said more athletes play golf now than they did in the past.

“Being a professional athlete is tough, but when you get to do something else, it takes the pressure off. I was looking forward to playing in this event and I’m very happy with how it played out,” Vince said.

There was a really enjoyable moment during the game on Tuesday when the players took turns to tee off, replacing their golf clubs with a cricket bat.

And they looked more at home with their favourite willow in hand smacking the golf ball over imaginary boundaries just as they would at a cricket stadium.

It was all in the name of fun before they get back to the serious business of the ILT20 with the first playoff scheduled for Wednesday.

Results

DP World Golf Day

1st place

-10 Rohit Gupta, Nikhil Chopra, Ishan Chopra and Chris Benjamin (Sharjah Warriors)

2nd place

-9.7 Capt. Vivian Verma, Dheeraj Baruah, Mohan De Silva and Debjit Sengupta

3rd place

Capt. Vikam Manchanda, James Vince (Gulf Giants), Colin De Grandhomme (Gulf Giants), David Wiese (Gulf Giants)

Other prizes

Hole 1: Ladies Longest Drive: Alexandra Jordan

Hole 2 Nearest the Pin: Colin De Grandhomme (Gulf Giants)

Hole 4 Nearest the Pin: Kipyo Hong

Hole 7 Longest Drive: Simon Doull (Commentator)

Hole 9 Men’s Longest Drive: Otis Gibson (Bowling Coach – Gulf Giants)

Longest Putt: No one holed out

Knock me the putt Out: Vivek Bhatia and Dheeraj Sharma

Chipping Challenge: Mark Watt (Desert Vipers)

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