Adrian Birrell Appointed Sharjah Warriorz Head Coach Ahead of ILT20 Season 5

Sharjah Warriorz have appointed experienced South African coach Adrian Birrell as their new head coach ahead of the fifth season of the International League T20 (ILT20).

Birrell, 65, brings extensive coaching experience to the franchise and is widely recognised for his successful stint with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20. Under his leadership, the franchise won three SA20 titles.

The veteran coach previously served as Ireland's head coach from 2002 to 2007, a period that included one of the most memorable moments in Irish cricket history — the team's qualification for the Super Eight stage of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.




He later joined the South African national setup as assistant coach, a role he held from 2013 to 2017. Birrell subsequently moved into franchise cricket, where he continued to build a strong reputation for developing successful teams.

"I am delighted to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz ahead of the upcoming ILT20 season. I am excited to work with this talented group of players and support staff as we build a new campaign," Birrell said after his appointment.

"Our objective will be to create a strong team culture, maintain high standards and instill a winning mindset among everyone," he added.

Birrell also has a playing background in South African domestic cricket. He represented Eastern Province between the 1984-85 and 1997-98 seasons, scoring 1,480 runs in 45 first-class matches and taking 75 wickets with his leg-spin bowling.

His appointment comes as Sharjah Warriorz look to turn around their fortunes in the ILT20. The franchise finished at the bottom of the standings in the 2025-26 season and are yet to win the competition.

The fifth edition of the ILT20 is scheduled to be played from November 22 to December 20, with matches set to take place in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The tournament has been moved to an earlier window than in previous seasons.

The coaching appointment is another major development involving the Knight Riders Group, which owns several franchises, including Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20. Last month, former Netherlands batter and former India batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate was appointed as the group's head of cricket strategy.

With Birrell now at the helm, Sharjah Warriorz will hope his experience and proven record of winning franchise titles can help the team mount a stronger challenge in the upcoming ILT20 season.

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