Ali Zafar set the tone for a festive night at Dubai International Stadium as the DP World ILT20 Season 4 opened on the UAE’s 54th National Day.
The “Ring of Fire” was full and fans filled the stands for a curtain-raiser that blended national pride, pop music and cricket.
Emirati vocalist Ahmed Al Hosani began the evening with a stirring rendition of the national anthem, after which Ali Zafar delivered a high-energy set of his hits that drew sustained cheers and sing-alongs.
The Zalim Nazron Se singer sang his ever-golden hits, Rangeen, Madhubala, Dil Jhoom and many others.
The entertainment segment flowed into a National Day–themed fireworks display that painted the sky above the stadium in UAE colours.
On the field, the turf and staging echoed that palette with red, green, white and black smoke effects, while the fan park outside had been reimagined as a festive “Crickmas Wonderland” (as Geo News quotes) to match the season’s calendar and holiday crowds.
Cricket followed the spectacle. Defending champions Dubai Capitals batted first and posted 150 for 8 in their 20 overs. The Desert Vipers chased the target in 19 overs for the loss of six wickets, sealing a four-wicket win and giving the packed house an immediate cricketing thrill to go with the evening’s entertainment.
The tournament’s move into a December–January window, partly to accommodate next year’s T20 World Cup, and the presence of notable Pakistani players such as Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Hassan Nawaz added extra interest for regional fans.
The night was a reminder of the ILT20’s evolving profile as a sporting festival that mixes large-scale entertainment, national celebration and competitive cricket.
