Morgan joins UAE T20x as third Icon Player

Morgan said it is an honour to be involved in a T20 league that is committed to promoting the sport in the Middle East

UAE T20x, the newly launched T20 cricket league owned by the Emirates Cricket Board announced cricket legend and England captain Eoin Morgan as the third Icon Player to sign up to play in the inaugural competition.
The left-handed batsman will represent one of the five franchise teams during the competition, which will run from Dec.19 to Jan. 11 in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Morgan's addition to the UAE T20x white ball roster follows the announcement of AB de Villiers as the global ambassador, and two all-rounders, South African David Miller and big hitting Jamaican Andre Russell, as Icon Players.
"As we count down to the league we will continue to grow UAE T20x's roster of burgeoning stars of cricketers, coaches, mentors and Icon Players," said Salman Sarwar Butt, CEO of UAE T20x.
"Morgan's brilliance on the field as a player and a leader makes him a great fit for the UAE T20x and for driving this league to inspire, promote and develop the sport in the UAE and wider region."
Eoin Morgan is a left-handed batsman known for his powerful batting style, which helped him establish a reputation as an excellent finisher. He became the first player to score a first class double century for Ireland, with an unbeaten 209, in 2007 against the UAE in Abu Dhabi. Morgan also became the first of only two players in history to score an ODI hundred for two nations - England and Ireland.
Morgan said, "It is an honour to be involved in a T20 league that is committed to promoting the sport in the Middle East and most importantly focus on developing the next generation of cricket talent."
Morgan was named captain of the England cricket team in 2014. He captained England in the 2015 ICC World Cup, the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. During this period in 2017, he made his 10th one day hundred for England, one of only three players to have made this many. As England's captain he led his team to the semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and finished runners up in the ICC World Twenty20 2016.
Moreover, the white ball superstar has changed the face of England's one-day cricket by making them one of the most successful in the world. Morgan became his country's highest run scorer in one-day cricket when he scored England's fastest ever ODI fifty, off 21 balls.
"The UAE T20x is a league for all players and fans and it is refreshing to see a progressive and inclusive T20 that gives everyone an equal opportunity to get involved. The franchise make-up will provide opportunities for players from both ICC Full Member and Associate Member countries alike to play and develop their skills alongside the very best in the world which is fantastic," added Morgan.
As an ICC Associate Member, the ECB has put the growth of the sport at its heart, and a key aim of UAE T20x is to not only generate new income streams that can be reinvested directly into the grassroots of the game, but to provide a platform where local and international emerging talent can develop through coaching and competition.
UAE T20x will make its debut this December with five new franchise teams vying for the inaugural title in a 22-match format to be played over 24 days.The five franchises will comprise a squad of 16 featuring six international star players, four emerging and junior players, three ICC Associate Member players, and three UAE national team players. No other T20 competition has been established with these developmental goals at their core, and no other event will showcase such a wide array of international talent.