Five UAE Franchise Teams, International Cricket Legends and Elite Coaches Unite to Launch a New Era in Global Youth Cricket
The journey towards building the world’s largest structured youth cricket ecosystem officially began today as CORE Cricket, under the International Federation of Corporate Cricket (IFCC), successfully launched the Corporate Youth Cricket League (CYCL) Global Series 2026 with a spectacular UAE Edition at Seven District Cricket Ground, Dubai.The opening day brought together five franchise teams—Falcons UAE, Stallions UAE, Chargers UAE, Gladiators UAE and Warriors UAE—marking the start of a landmark international cricket initiative that will expand across multiple countries before culminating in the CYCL Global Grand Finale in Dubai later this year.
The launch ceremony celebrated not only the beginning of a tournament but the birth of a global movement dedicated to identifying, nurturing and developing the next generation of cricket talent through world-class coaching, international competition and structured player development.
A Gathering of Cricket Excellence
The opening ceremony featured one of the strongest assemblies of cricket expertise seen at a grassroots youth cricket event in the region.
The event was headlined by Mudassar Nazar, former Pakistan Test cricketer and Founding Member of CORE Cricket, whose decades of international playing and coaching experience continue to influence cricket development around the world.
Joining him were former international cricketer and CORE Cricket Founding Member Shahzad Altaf, internationally respected high-performance coach Gopal Jasapara, and Naveed Ahmed, one of the UAE’s leading high-performance coaches associated with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), reinforcing the tournament’s commitment to providing young players with access to elite mentorship.
The championship is further strengthened by an outstanding panel of franchise coaches and mentors, including:
- Russel Sissing – International High-Performance Coach
- Hasan Raza – Former Pakistan International & High-Performance Coach
- Salman Farooq – Senior Youth Development Coach
- Zahoor Khan – UAE International Fast Bowler and Elite Coach
- Midhun Sudhakar – High-Performance Coach and Youth Development Specialist
Collectively, the coaching panel represents hundreds of international matches, decades of coaching excellence and an unwavering commitment to developing young cricketers into future professionals.Their presence reflects CORE Cricket’s vision of creating a truly global player development ecosystem where every participant benefits from elite coaching, international exposure and world-class mentorship.
Opening Day Delivers Outstanding Cricket
The inaugural match day immediately lived up to expectations, producing two competitive fixtures filled with attacking batting, disciplined bowling and exceptional fielding.
Falcons UAE Make History with Opening Victory
Falcons UAE became the first team to register a victory in the CYCL Global Series 2026 after producing a dominant all-round performance against Warriors UAE.
Leading the charge was Sayedullah Khan Abaskhil, who announced himself as one of the tournament’s brightest young talents with a magnificent 89 runs from just 60 deliveries.
His innings featured five elegant boundaries and six towering sixes, scoring at a strike rate of 148.33, combining composure with fearless stroke play to guide Falcons to a memorable opening victory.
For his match-winning performance, Sayedullah was deservedly named the tournament’s first Player of the Match.
Stallions UAE Produce Complete Team Performance
The second match of the day witnessed Stallions UAE overcome Chargers UAE by 21 runs in one of the most competitive contests of the opening round.
Batting first, Stallions posted 164 all out in 24.2 overs, thanks to important contributions throughout the batting order.
Ahmed Saleem injected early momentum with a blistering 25 from only 14 balls, while Aaryan Thapar (23), Essa Shariq (22) and Prashasya Singh (21) maintained the innings before Reyansh Pillai anchored the middle overs with a composed 28 off 40 deliveries, helping Stallions post a challenging total.
Chargers responded positively through Shariq Lakdawala, whose entertaining 42 off just 29 balls, including three boundaries and three sixes, briefly shifted momentum in their favour.
Earlier, Amrit Rajiv added a fluent 21, giving Chargers an encouraging platform.
However, Stallions demonstrated outstanding discipline in the field.
Advait Bhojnagarwala produced the breakthrough spell of the innings, claiming 3 wickets for 25 runs, while Reyansh Pillai once again proved his value as a genuine all-rounder.
After his valuable contribution with the bat, Reyansh returned to produce a superb spell of 2 wickets for only 17 runs from five overs, maintaining an outstanding economy rate of 3.40 while helping restrict Chargers to 143/8 in their allotted 25 overs.
His calm temperament, match awareness and all-round contribution earned him the Player of the Match award as Stallions secured an impressive 21-run victory.
More Than a Tournament — A Global Movement
The CYCL Global Series has been created with a clear vision: to build the world’s most connected youth cricket ecosystem.
Unlike traditional competitions, CYCL combines international tournaments with year-round player development, elite coaching, sports science, leadership education, technology-driven performance analysis and global exchange opportunities.
Young cricketers participating in the series will benefit from direct interaction with former international players, accredited coaches and performance specialists while competing in professionally managed tournaments across multiple countries.
The UAE Edition represents the first chapter of a global calendar that will continue across several nations before the world’s best young players meet in Dubai for the inaugural CYCL Global Grand Finale 2026.
Mudassar Nazar, Founding Member – CORE Cricket | Former Pakistan Test Cricketer
“Today marks the beginning of something far greater than a cricket tournament. CYCL represents a global commitment to developing young cricketers through excellence, education and opportunity. The quality of cricket we witnessed on the opening day was exceptional, and the enthusiasm shown by every player confirms that the future of the game is incredibly bright. Through CORE Cricket and IFCC, we are building an international platform where talent is nurtured, character is developed and dreams are transformed into opportunities.”
The Future Begins Today
With five franchise teams officially underway, international cricket legends standing beside the next generation of players, and some of the region’s finest coaches guiding young talent, the CYCL Global Series 2026 has begun exactly as envisioned—with excellence, purpose and global ambition.
As the tournament progresses through its international calendar, thousands of young cricketers will compete not only for championship honours but for the opportunity to become part of a worldwide cricket movement dedicated to shaping the future of the sport.
The road to the CYCL Global Grand Finale 2026 has officially begun.
About CORE Cricket
CORE Cricket is a global cricket development initiative operating under the International Federation of Corporate Cricket (IFCC). Through elite coaching, international competitions, technology-enabled player development and strategic partnerships, CORE Cricket is creating one of the world’s most comprehensive pathways for aspiring cricketers.
Its flagship competition, the Corporate Youth Cricket League (CYCL) Global Series, connects emerging talent from around the world through professionally managed tournaments, high-performance coaching and international exposure, empowering the next generation of cricket leaders on and off the field.
Media Contact CORE Cricket Under the International Federation of Corporate Cricket (IFCC) Website: www.corecricket.co.uk
