UAE Bulls Squad for Abu Dhabi T10 2026: Players List and Title Defence

Nobody wins a T10 title by accident, and the UAE Bulls are proof. They lifted the trophy in 2025 and return for the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2026 as the team everyone wants to beat. The champions have kept their core together, added fresh firepower and stacked the dugout with two of the sharpest minds in the game in head coach Andy Flower and bowling coach and mentor Dwayne Bravo.

The mission is simple: back-to-back titles. The squad has Kieron Pollard for the monster hits, Sunil Narine for the mystery overs, Muhammad Amir for the new-ball swing and Shadab Khan for the all-round X-factor. Below is the full UAE Bulls squad for Abu Dhabi T10 2026, the predicted XI, every league fixture and an honest look at the title defence. For the full picture across all teams, see our Abu Dhabi T10 2026 squads page.

UAE Bulls Squad 2026: Full Players List

The Bulls went into the draft with a clear plan and executed it perfectly. The three pre-draft signings tell the whole story. Kieron Pollard is the ultimate T10 batter, a man who has won leagues all over the world with clean six-hitting. Sunil Narine is the most valuable T10 cricketer on the planet, with mystery spin that suffocates chases and powerplay batting that can end games in 20 balls. Romario Shepherd is the third pre-draft pick, another Caribbean all-rounder who bowls serious pace and clears the ropes with ease.

The rest of the 18-player squad is just as loaded. Andre Fletcher and Azam Khan are the wicketkeeping options, and both can destroy attacks on their day. Khushdil Shah and Shadab Khan bring proven Pakistan pedigree, Khwaja Nafay and Max Bryant add young batting firepower, and the bowling group of Muhammad Amir, Nuwan Thushara, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Bradley Currie and Muhammad Rohid has every base covered from swing to yorkers.

Coaching Staff: Andy Flower and Dwayne Bravo

Great squads still need great brains, and the Bulls have two of the best. Andy Flower, the head coach, is one of the most respected coaches in world cricket, a man who has won major titles as both player and coach and knows exactly how to build a winning dressing room. In a 10-over tournament where one tactical mistake can end a season, his calm, data-driven leadership is a massive asset.

The masterstroke is the appointment of Dwayne Bravo as bowling coach and mentor. Bravo is quite simply the greatest death bowler in T20 history, and T10 cricket is all about the death overs. Having the champion himself guide Muhammad Amir, Nuwan Thushara and Bradley Currie through yorkers, slower balls and wide lines is like giving the bowling attack a cheat code. The Bulls attack already looks the best in the tournament on paper, and with Bravo in the dugout it could become unstoppable.

Key Players to Watch in the UAE Bulls Squad

Every champion team has its match-winners, and the Bulls have five genuine game-changers. Kieron Pollard needs no introduction. In 10 overs of cricket, there is no better finisher in the world, and his ability to hit sixes at will makes him the most feared batter in the league. Sunil Narine is the two-in-one weapon: two overs of mystery spin that can go for under 10 runs, plus powerplay batting that can smash 30 off 10 balls.

Muhammad Amir is the new-ball king. His left-arm swing at pace is made for the powerplay, and in a 10-over game, two early wickets usually end the contest. Shadab Khan brings leg-spin, sharp fielding and late-order hitting, a complete package for this format. And do not forget Nuwan Thushara, whose slingy action and deadly yorkers make him one of the toughest death bowlers in franchise cricket. Our players to watch in Abu Dhabi T10 2026 guide has the full list of stars across all six teams.

UAE Bulls Predicted XI for Abu Dhabi T10 2026

Picking an XI from this squad is a wonderful headache for Andy Flower. The predicted lineup packs six bowling options and batting depth that runs all the way down, which is exactly what you need in a format where you must attack every single ball. Andre Fletcher is likely to open and take the gloves in the early games, with Khwaja Nafay giving the top order youthful aggression.

The middle order is pure muscle: Pollard, Azam Khan, Khushdil Shah and Shadab Khan can each win a game in 15 balls. Then comes the bowling artillery of Amir, Thushara, Currie and Rohid, with Narine floating wherever the match situation demands. Wali Muhammad provides the all-round balance. It is hard to find a weak link, and that is why the Bulls start the season as favourites. You can compare this lineup with the other teams in our format guide for Abu Dhabi T10 2026.

UAE Bulls Fixtures in Abu Dhabi T10 2026

The champions open the entire tournament on November 7 against the Yas Lions at 5:00 PM IST, so the title defence starts in the spotlight. The double round-robin gives them 10 league matches, and the run-in looks tricky with back-to-back games against Royal Desert Champions and United Tigers in the second week. Mark November 14, when they face the Yas Lions again, as an early test of how the new squads match up.

All league matches are played in the evening slots of 5:00 PM, 7:15 PM and 9:30 PM IST. The full date-by-date list with the qualifier and final is in our Abu Dhabi T10 2026 schedule.

The Title Defence: Can the Bulls Go Back to Back?

Defending a T10 title is one of the hardest jobs in cricket. The format is brutally random, the margins are tiny and every team has reloaded with fresh stars. But the Bulls have three things working for them. First, the champion core of Pollard, Narine and Amir knows how to win the big moments. Second, the Bravo factor in the dugout gives their death bowling an edge no other team can match. Third, their squad depth means an injury or a bad day for one star does not sink the campaign.

The biggest threats look like the Royal Desert Champions, with Nicholas Pooran and Phil Salt, and the Arabian Aces, with Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone. The Yas Lions, with Jason Holder as icon, will also fancy their chances in the opener. But champions are champions for a reason, and until someone knocks them off, the UAE Bulls remain the team to beat. Check how past champions have fared in our Abu Dhabi T10 winners list, and follow live scores on Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo once the season begins.

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