The third edition of the DP World T20 Development Championship kicked off yesterday at the ICC International Cricket Academy grounds in Dubai. The tournament, which runs until September 3, features eight teams: Abu Dhabi Knights, Raiders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriors. The competition includes 18 matches played in a single round-robin format to determine the champion. Zayed Abbas, a member and official spokesperson of the Emirates Cricket Council, described the event as an ideal opportunity for development and one of the most important events in the council’s local program. He emphasized that the championship provides young and emerging players a perfect platform to showcase their talents and create new opportunities for the upcoming fourth edition starting December 2. The first day saw great enthusiasm and a strong desire to win, with a notable audience turnout from the Asian expatriate community in the UAE.