Robin Uthappa has formally joined the Dubai league (ILT20) and has signed on the dotted lines for the Dubai Capitals franchise. He became the first Indian player to be part of the new league to be held in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in January and February.
ILT20
Uthappa joins Dubai Capitals in ILT20 after rule change
Uthappa became the 19th player in the Dubai Capitals squad. © BCCI
The Dubai Capitals franchise, owned by the GMR Group, the co-owners of the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), have made a late bid for the former India international after the league organisers have made alterations to the recruitment rules. Previously, the permitted squad strength was 18 - 12 foreign players, two associate players and four local UAE cricketers. The new rules have allowed the franchises to expand the squad to 25 players if they have sufficient funds in the kitty.
Uthappa thus became the 19th player of Dubai Capitals which also have Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka, West Indian Rovman Powell, New Zealander Fabian Allen, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza among others.
The salary cap was fixed at $ 2.5 million and all the six franchises apparently have funds left to rope in new players and the GMR Group did not miss an opportunity to take Uthappa. The rule change has also opened up opportunities for a few other Indian cricketers - mainly Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan. So far, there is no information of either player having been signed on but Cricbuzz can confirm that approaches have been made to the two.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not permit active Indian players from participating in a foreign league but Uthappa, Raina and Pathan are all eligible to take part in ILT20 by having retired from all forms of cricket in India, including the IPL.
The Uthappa development has been confirmed by a Dubai Capitals official, who also confirmed a