Pakistani middle-order batsman Iftikhar Ahmed has clarified his decision to participate in the National T20 instead of the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Although signed by the Bangla Tigers for the tournament starting on December 28, the 33-year-old chose to prioritize domestic cricket for the Peshawar region.
Iftikhar explained during the National T20 that he had initially contracted with the T10 league but decided to cancel it to contribute to domestic cricket in Pakistan.
He emphasized that his success in domestic cricket paved the way for his selection for the Pakistan national team, and playing for Pakistan has earned him significant respect.
As a professional player, he believes in reciprocating that respect to domestic cricketers and his home country, Pakistan.
The National T20, featuring 18 teams, is currently in progress at four venues. The group stage games, concluding on November 28, will lead to the commencement of the Super Eight stage on December 1.
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2023 will involve eight teams in a round-robin format during the group stage. The participating teams are the New York Strikers, Deccan Gladiators, Northern Warriors, Morrisville Samp Army, Delhi Bulls, Team Abu Dhabi, Chennai Braves, and Bangla Tigers.
Following the group stage, the tournament will progress through Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2), Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4), Qualifier 2 (Winner Eliminator vs Loser Qualifier 1), and culminate in the ultimate Final.
All matches of the Abu Dhabi T10 League will be hosted at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The Deccan Gladiators emerged victorious in the previous edition, defeating the New York Strikers by 37 runs in the final.
