UAE’s Suri set to make Global T20 debut

Cricketer Chirag Suri has been drafted from more than 1,000 players from 42 nations to participate in this year’s edition of Global T20 Canada.  The 24-year-old has confirmed his spot in the Toronto Nationals, playing alongside Indian star cricketer, Yuvraj Singh – arguably one of the 2019 tournament’s star attractions.

The pressure is on straightaway, as his team, the Toronto Nationals take on Vancouver Knights in the opening match on July 25 at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario.

The Global T20 Canada is a summer 20-over cricket tournament that was introduced in Canada last year and is the first fully sanctioned T20 league in North America outside of the Caribbean.

During tournament’s inaugural edition, six teams – comprising four local Canadian cricketers in each squad, along with international players – took part, with the Vancouver Knights claiming the title.

This year’s competition – which takes place a little later compared to last year due to the 2019 Cricket World Cup – will again feature six teams.

Joining Suri’s Toronto Nationals and defending champions Vancouver Knights are Brampton Wolves, Edmonton Royals, Montreal Tigers and Winnipeg Hawks. The final takes place on Aug. 11.

When Suri was six, his father enrolled him in a cricket academy in India, where his natural affinity for the sport could be cultivated. Moving to the UAE at the age of 10, the talented future athlete continued to refine his skills before going professional at the age of 15.

The right-handed opening batsman started to make his mark on the university circuit after winning Red Bull’s Campus Cricket three times with his team Heriot-Watt University Dubai.

His big break shortly followed, representing the UAE during the 2014 Under-19 World Cup. Now a Red Bull athlete, Suri has been gaining international recognition over the past two years.

In 2017, Suri was shortlisted for the Indian Premier League (IPL) players auction and bought by the Gujarat Lions, making him the first player from the UAE to take part in the world-renowned competition.

Following Global T20 Canada, Suri will return to the UAE to begin training for the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier, where the UAE national cricket team will make their bid to qualify for the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup tournament in Australia.

The 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier takes place in the UAE between Oct. 11 to Nov. 3, 2019. Staying in the country, Suri will then move on to partake in the national heats of Red Bull Campus Cricket 2019, mentoring the cricket stars of the future.