The draft for this season was held on September 26, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, and Deccan Gladiators summed up with a 16-player squad consisting an excellent line-up of batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders. Eyeing another title in their kitty, the defending champions had already retained Andre Russell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Zahoor Khan, Odean Smith, and David Wiese.
The Odean Smith-David Weise pair played a superb knock of 62 off 24 against Delhi Bulls to take Deccan Gladiators into the final last season, while Andre Russell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s spectacular unbeaten 159/0 won them the trophy. The West-Indian T20I and ODI captain Nicholas Pooran had already joined the Deccan Gladiators squad as the team announced ahead of the draft.
The aggressive all-rounder adds a great punch to the team. Joining him in the squad is English star-opener Jason Roy, who is revered for his hard-hitting knocks. Deccan Gladiators has roped in young Afghan bowling sensation Mujeeb Ur Rahman, along with Luke Wood, Joshua Little, Will Smeed, Zahir Khan, Curtis Campher, Sultan Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, and Adeel Malik.
Commenting on the exciting line-up of players in the squad, Gaurav Grover, Owner of Deccan Gladiators said, “We are quite excited with the line-up we have got. In the fastest format of the game, we have to be strategic with our approaches. We are glad to have a team that represents experience and youthful energy. We’ll work on grooming this team for the battle ahead and we hope for the best.”
“We have got the team that we’re planning for. The team looks well in shape as we’ve got some that come with a plethora of experience and some that are quite promising with their tactics. It’s now time to prepare in full swing for the season ahead and stay resilient in our efforts,” said Head Coach Mushtaq Ahmed.
Deccan Gladiators has drafted a carefully-picked front that reflects a blend of strength, agility, and grit. With another title in sight and with the inclusion of two new teams, the Abu Dhabi T10 Season 6 will see eight teams fighting for glory in the world’s fastest format of cricket.
Squad:
Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, David Wiese, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Luke Wood, Joshua Little, Will Smeed, Zahir Khan, Curtis Campher, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Taskin Ahmed, Adeel Malik.
The tournament will take place between 23 November to 4 December 2022 and all the games will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.