Pooran Named Captain and Icon of New Abu Dhabi T10 Franchise
The West Indies wicketkeeper-batter adds another leadership role to his growing T20 portfolio ahead of the 2026 season.
Nicholas Pooran will captain the Royal Desert Champions, a newly added side in the Abu Dhabi T10 competition, when the 2026 edition gets underway. The franchise has also designated him as its icon player, giving the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter a dual role as the team enters the league for the first time.
Alongside Pooran's appointment, the Royal Desert Champions have installed former India international Robin Singh as team director. Pooran is no stranger to the format, having turned out for sides such as the Deccan Gladiators in previous Abu Dhabi T10 campaigns.
His captaincy record across leagues is mixed. He skippered the Gladiators in the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 season, where the team missed the playoffs and ended sixth among eight sides. In the CPL he has led both the Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders, managing 16 wins and 16 defeats from 33 matches in that role, while guiding Trinbago to the 2025 title.
With MI New York in the MLC, Pooran has overseen 27 games since 2023, recording 14 wins and 13 losses, including the inaugural title in 2023 and another in 2025. He has also filled in as interim captain for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.