Even as cricket fans in the United Arab Emirates wait to see if David Warner joins the UAE T20x, the former Australia vice-captain says he will play in the Bangladesh Premier League next year.
Warner revealed in a Facebook post on Friday he will be joining BPL side Sylhet Sixers for the month-long Twenty20 competition, which gets under way on January 5.
"I’m very excited to let you know that I'm now a Sixer," he said in the video. "I can’t wait to be a part of the Sylhet Sixers family. See you soon!"
The left-hander is serving a one-year ban from international and first-class competitions for his role in a ball-tampering scandal that rocked the cricket world at the beginning of this year. He has been suspended along with former captain Steve Smith and fellow opening batsman Cameron Bancroft.
The trio, however, have been allowed to compete in club and franchise tournaments anywhere in the world.
Great news for #UAET20x's Aussie fans, Captain @SteveSmith49 has officially joined the league 🇦🇺.
— T20X (@T20xLeague) October 18, 2018
Are you ready to watch him in the UAE this December? Find out more https://t.co/53TFfzzHLK pic.twitter.com/5lOdE6sxiF
Warner has already played in four such competitions.
In June-July, he featured in the inaugural Global T20 tournament in Canada. He also travelled to the West Indies to play in the Caribbean Premier League. In between, he appeared in the NT Strike League in Australia. Now, he has returned to the NSW Premier Cricket.
The question is whether Warner will join Smith to play in the inaugural season of the UAE T20x, organised by the Emirates Cricket Board. With the tournament scheduled to be held from December 19-January 11, it may only be possible for him to commit to a part of it.
Warner's international ban is set to conclude at the end of March next year, which would allow him to play in the Indian Premier League before the 50-overs World Cup and Ashes series.
______________
Read more:
[ ICC says new, short-format leagues will find it harder to get sanctioned in future ]
[ Ex-Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi set to be part of 'new and refreshing' UAE T20x ]
England captain Eoin Morgan joins list of star players signed up for UAE T20x
AB de Villiers: UAE T20x to help assist Associate Nations in developing players
Emirates Cricket Board aims for UAE T20x to have long-term impact on game
[ UAE T20x backed to develop Emirati and grassroots talent by cricket board ]