Abu Dhabi, May 7 (IANS): The fifth edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 cricket tournament will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium from November 19 till December 4 this year.

The tournament, jointly sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Emirates Cricket Board, will feature an increased number of matches played over 15 days, as against 10 in the previous seasons.

Launched in 2017, the Abu Dhabi T10 is played in a round-robin format followed by the eliminators and the final.

"By bringing T10 to the UAE capital we have made Abu Dhabi the home of this truly exciting cricketing format, the potential of which is now reaching ever-growing audiences of 144.2 million worldwide with 800 million video views on social media during Season 4," said Aref Al Awani, general secretary, Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

"It is a matter of pride that a journey that started in 2017 with just four teams has now reached a stage where the tournament has become an important part of the world's cricketing calendar," said Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman, Ten Sports Management (TSM), which owns the League.

The fourth edition in Jan-Feb this year was safely delivered against a background of strict Covid-19 prevention protocols and gained a global TV audience of 63.9 million, a 79.67% year-on-year increase.

Past Abu Dhabi T10 champions include the Kerala Kings, Maratha Arabians and Northern Warriors, who have won the title twice.