The world of cricket has been turned on its head since the crash, bang, wallop arrival of Twenty20 cricket – and now the International League T20 (ILT20) looks set to speed up the pace of change to an even greater extent. Thomas Lyte are naturally delighted to be part of that process, having designed and made a landmark new ILT20 trophy that will be fought for, for the first time early in 2023.
The new ILT20 trophy was unveiled by His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, the chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, in front of a stellar cast of cricket greats, including Brett Lee, Wasim Akram and Dwayne Bravo in a stunning ceremony in Dubai.
A spectacular, star-studded night like no other! 💫
A significant milestone for the world of cricket as HH Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman, Emirates Cricket Board, unveiled the coveted International League T20 trophy. pic.twitter.com/wwnwALjveh
— International League T20 (@ILT20Official) October 11, 2022
With the stature of the new ILT20 trophy mirroring the aims of a tournament that looks set to emerge as one of the standout events in the T20 calendar.
The painstaking process of getting the trophy exactly right has truly been a team effort, with Thomas Lyte’s design team working closely with the tournament’s organisers to create a piece of silverware that not only illustrates the prestigious nature of the competition, but also the culture of the UAE, the Arabian Peninsula and the sport of cricket itself.
The final trophy design was decided upon after 28 different concepts were drafted and discussed. At the unveiling, it was clear that the final design decision was most definitely the correct one.
With the first edition of the tournament slated to take place early next year, it’s a prize that some of cricket’s biggest names will be hoping to lift as six newly created franchises do battle on grounds that are already synonymous with big hitting, cunning bowling and outrageous feats in the field.
The league’s ability to attract some of the sport’s most talented overseas players – unlike a number of other tournaments, each team can field as many as nine stars from outside the UAE – mean the stage is set for some of T20 cricket’s most destructive on-pitch battles.
All played out in front of a huge global television audience, and all done with one eye on a trophy that looks set to establish itself as one of the most desirable in modern sport.
Getting up close and personal with it reveals the level of detail that has gone into its construction. As well as its sheer scale, it’s the intricate details that set it apart. The body of the new ILT20 trophy takes its inspiration from a falcon diving. This teardrop-shaped symbol is an important one in the Middle East at large and the UAE in particular, with the falcon firmly established of the Emirates’ national bird.
Lovingly brought to life in our London silver workshops, from every angle there are distinct features that hammer home just how significant this new ILT20 trophy is, not just to the sport, but also to the people of the UAE.
The seven crown points signify each emirate in the country, while a cricket ball sits on an angle at the neck of a trophy which has been shaped to resemble the incredible sand-dunes of Tal Moreeb in Abu Dhabi. Landmarks which are considered the highest sand-dunes in the world.
It’s far from your average trophy but then this is no run-of-the-mill tournament. And as the sands of time continue to shift in the world of cricket, Thomas Lyte is moving with them.
Six Teams. One Dream.#internationalleaguet20 #ilt20 #ILT20onlyonzee @ADKRiders @TheDesertVipers @Dubai_Capitals @GulfGiants @MIEmirates @SharjahWarriors @EmiratesCricket @ZEECorporate pic.twitter.com/6AY4gtVeNM
— International League T20 (@ILT20Official) October 10, 2022
Read about our press mentions and awards for the project
We have selected a number of case studies that demonstrate the broad range of our capabilities designing and making in precious metals.
