Sharjah, 10 August (H.S.): Sharjah Warriorz have appointed experienced coach Adrian Birrell as their new head coach ahead of the fifth season of the DP World ILT20. The fifth edition of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played from November 22 to December 20, 2026.

Under Birrell’s leadership, the Sharjah Warriorz will look to mount a strong challenge for their maiden ILT20 title, drawing on his extensive record of success in franchise cricket.

Birrell is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in modern franchise cricket. He has guided Sunrisers Eastern Cape to three SA20 titles, making the franchise the most successful team in the league. His ability to build championship-winning sides, maximise players’ potential and sustain success has established him among the leading coaches in T20 cricket.

Birrell has also enjoyed success at the international level. He guided Ireland to the Super Eight stage of the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, where Ireland recorded a historic victory over Pakistan. He subsequently served as an assistant coach with the South African national team.

In English county cricket, Birrell also spent seven successful years as Hampshire’s head coach.

With Birrell’s appointment, Sharjah Warriorz have embarked on a new chapter and reiterated their commitment to creating a high-performance environment capable of challenging the leading teams in the DP World ILT20.

The franchise is confident that Birrell’s experience and leadership will help the team build consistency, compete strongly for the title and achieve its ambition of becoming ILT20 champions for the first time.

Commenting on his appointment, Adrian Birrell said, “I am delighted to join Sharjah Warriorz ahead of the upcoming ILT20 season. I am excited to work with this talented group of players and support staff and to help build the new campaign. Our aim will be to establish a strong team culture, maintain high standards and develop a winning mindset across the group.”

Sharjah Warriorz Chief Operating Officer Khemal Waingankar said, “We are delighted to welcome Adrian Birrell as the head coach of Sharjah Warriorz. Adrian is one of the most successful coaches in franchise cricket today and has an outstanding record of building winning teams and securing titles.

“As we begin a new chapter in the journey of Sharjah Warriorz, we were looking for a leader who shares our ambition of winning the championship. We are confident that he will help establish a culture capable of delivering sustained success and give our fans a team that can challenge for the DP World ILT20 title.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar