Defending Champions UAE Bulls Lead the Way as Abu Dhabi T10 Enters New Era
The UAE Bulls have been confirmed as the first founding franchise for the relaunched Abu Dhabi T10, marking the beginning of what organisers describe as a significant new chapter for one of the region’s most distinctive cricket competitions. The defending champions’ confirmation comes as the tournament transitions to a restructured governance and ownership model ahead of its 2026 edition, scheduled to run from November 7 to 20 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in the UAE capital.
The franchise’s confirmation follows a Deloitte Invitation to Bid process and places the UAE Bulls at the centre of the competition’s next phase under a newly introduced 10-year licence model, a structural shift intended to provide the tournament with greater long-term stability than previous editions.
A New Ownership Structure
The relaunch places the Abu Dhabi T10 under the ownership and management of Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH), with support from the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board. Organisers say the restructured framework is designed to deliver stronger governance and a platform for sustainable long-term growth, while preserving the pace, entertainment and global appeal that has become synonymous with T10 cricket since the format’s inception.
For a competition that has grown steadily in profile since launching in 2017, the shift toward a formalised, decade-long licensing structure marks a notable maturation, moving the tournament away from a franchise model reliant on shorter-term commitments toward one built around sustained, multi-year investment from participating teams.
A Franchise With Deep Roots
For the UAE Bulls, the announcement carries particular significance given the team’s history with the competition. Originally competing as the Delhi Bulls before rebranding, the franchise has been part of the Abu Dhabi T10’s journey since its formative years, reaching the final in 2024 before securing their maiden Abu Dhabi T10 title with a dominant performance in the 2025 edition.
Team owner Neelesh Bhatnagar described the franchise’s belief in T10 cricket’s potential as dating back to the competition’s earliest days, framing the confirmation as a source of considerable pride given that history. The team enters its title defence under the guidance of internationally renowned head coach Andy Flower, with former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo continuing in his role as bowling coach and mentor, a coaching combination that has been credited with much of the franchise’s recent success.
Why T10 Cricket Continues to Grow
T10 cricket’s rapid rise since 2017 reflects a broader global shift in cricket audiences toward shorter, more entertainment-driven formats capable of delivering a complete match experience in a fraction of the time required by traditional formats. The Abu Dhabi T10, sanctioned by both the International Cricket Council and the Emirates Cricket Board, has built a reputation as one of the format’s flagship competitions, drawing leading international players and growing global broadcast and social media audiences with each successive season.
Flower, reflecting on his continued involvement with the tournament, pointed to a growing personal connection with Abu Dhabi built up over multiple seasons of involvement, alongside an increasingly strong relationship with the Bulls organisation specifically. That continuity of coaching and playing talent across seasons has become an important part of the tournament’s broader appeal, giving fans recognisable teams and personalities to follow from year to year rather than an entirely reshuffled roster each season.
What Comes Next
With the UAE Bulls now confirmed, organisers say further franchise confirmations for the 2026 season will follow in the coming weeks as the tournament works through its broader relaunch process. The Zayed Cricket Stadium venue, now well established as the tournament’s primary home, is expected to host the bulk of this year’s fixtures across the competition’s roughly two-week window in November.
For UAE cricket fans, the relaunch and franchise confirmations offer an early signal of what to expect from a tournament increasingly positioning itself as a cornerstone of the country’s growing sports calendar, one that sits alongside other major cricket fixtures on the UAE’s calendar, including the DP World ILT20, as part of a broader strategy to establish the country as a genuine global hub for franchise cricket.
Comments 1