Exclusive: ILT20 will give UAE players tremendous exposure, says Indian legend Dilip Vengsarkar

In the autumn of 1975, a fearless teenager launched a blistering attack on Bishan Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna, two of the greatest spinners in history, scoring a scintillating hundred in a high-profile Indian domestic match.

It was a knock that catapulted that teenager named Dilip Vengsarkar into the big league.

Now the legendary Indian batsman believes the brand new DP World International League T20, the UAE's home-grown franchise tournament, will give local players the ideal platform to prove their talent.

The ILT20 has drawn marquee names like Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Alex Hales and Mooen Ali.

With all six teams needing to field two local players in the playing eleven, the UAE cricketers have found the perfect stage to test their skills against some of the best players in the world.

"Two players in the playing eleven and four players in the squads, this will give the UAE players tremendous exposure," Vengsarkar told the Khaleej Times.

"It's great for UAE and its cricketers as some of the greats of the game are playing in this tournament. These are very experienced international players and they can guide these young UAE players.

"I think their work ethic will improve, they will learn from these stars how to plan their innings, how they go about their game in every match.

"This experience will help them improve their game very quickly. So it's very good for UAE cricket."

Vengsarkar, the former chairman of BCCI's Talent Resource Development Wing, also emphasised the importance of school cricket in the development of the game.

"You have to get cricket grounds in all schools, you need to have inter-school tournaments," the former India captain said.

"In Mumbai alone, we have more than 200 schools that participate in inter-school tournaments. It's a huge platform where you can spot talent."

The UAE's very own Karthik Meiyappan, the young leg-spinner, proved his talent on the biggest stage when he took a stunning hat trick against Asian champions Sri Lanka in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.

The country's under 19 team also made history last year by winning the Plate Division title at the ICC Under 19 World Cup, registering wins over two Test-playing teams, the West Indies and Ireland.

"I am sure there is huge talent in the UAE. But the important thing is how you groom that talent," Vengsarkar said.

"That's why it's important to have great school cricket infrastructure. If the talent is developed well, the UAE can do extremely well in international cricket."

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