'Learning every day': Kuwait players reflect on playing in the fourth season of ILT20

Season 4 of the ILT20 represented a meaningful stride in the league’s regional growth plans, as players from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were picked at the tournament’s first-ever auction and went on to feature across all six franchises. Every team signed at least one player from each country, giving emerging cricketers a rare chance to train, compete and share dressing rooms with some of the biggest names in world cricket. The season came to a close on January 4, when Desert Vipers defeated MI Emirates to lift their maiden ILT20 title.Throughout the tournament, players from Kuwait reflected on the experience and what it meant to work alongside established international stars.Kuwait national team captain Mohamed Aslam, who represented Sharjah Warriorz, spoke about the learning curve that came with the opportunity. “It’s a great opportunity for me to represent Sharjah Warriorz in the ILT20, and we are getting a lot of experience in the dressing room,” Aslam said.“As the captain of the Kuwait national team, I am sharing the dressing room with leaders like Tim Southee and Sikandar Raza. I have gotten a lot of information from them and learned many things by asking questions. As an associate cricket player, this is a very good opportunity. I hope to apply all of this in Kuwait and do our best.”Mohammed Shafeeq made history by becoming the first player from Kuwait or Saudi Arabia to appear in an ILT20 match when he took the field for MI Emirates against Dubai Capitals. Looking back on that moment, he highlighted the role played by the support staff. “The support from the coaching staff has been amazing because this is a completely different feeling for us. It will help us in the future, as the coaches are always watching us and giving technical inputs,” he said.“It is a very big moment for me to be part of this team and to play alongside players like Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran and Jonny Bairstow. All of them are top players and operate at different levels. They consider us for every match, and that means a lot to me.”Dubai Capitals’ Anudeep Chenthamara also underlined how valuable the exposure had been. “I would like to thank the Kuwait Cricket Board and ILT20 for giving me this opportunity, it is a big one for me and the whole team,” he said. “There has been a lot of experience and learning over here. We have worked with experienced players and coaches; I have been able to work on many things from the basics to the higher level. For example, I have changed the base of my run-up.”Gulf Giants batter Meet Bhavsar, who has represented Kuwait in 73 T20Is, echoed similar sentiments about the benefits of competing in such an environment. “It’s been a great experience to share the dressing room with the superstars of modern-day cricket,” Bhavsar said.“Facing somebody like Tabraiz Shamsi in the nets has been really challenging and helped me immensely. I will try to share as much as I can with the rest of the Kuwait team, and I am grateful for the chance to be here.”From the championship-winning Desert Vipers camp, Bilal Tahir spoke about the daily learning that came with being part of the squad. “We are learning a lot every day. We have very good coaches, a great environment, and the style of teaching really helps us improve,” he said. “Playing with these stars is a dream for us because they are legends, and we learn so much from them. Just the other day in the nets, Fakhar Zaman told me how to improve certain things. I am very thankful to the Desert Vipers for giving us this opportunity.”Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ Adnan Idrees also highlighted the value of sharing space with elite players. “It’s a great experience and I’m really enjoying my time here. Learning from legends is always a blessing, and sharing the dressing room with players like Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone makes me feel my game will improve a lot,” he said.“I keep getting tips from them about staying focused on my game, and I’ve learned a lot already. They are gems as people and as cricketers, and it’s a joy to share the dressing room with them. I feel blessed to be part of the ILT20 and hope more players get the chance to come here.”