As Royal Champs navigate their inaugural Abu Dhabi T10 campaign, Afghanistan star Mohammed Shehzad is keeping perspective on what it takes to build a successful franchise from the ground up.
Courtney Walsh's Impact
Having West Indies legend Courtney Walsh as coach has proven invaluable in maintaining team morale despite challenging results, said the batter with over 150 international caps across formats.
"On paper our team is very good, and our team is also good on the ground. Our efforts remain the same. Our coach and captain
both motivate us," Shehzad explained.
"In every team meeting, they focus on the little mistakes – if this wouldn't have happened, things could have been different. They do it to keep the team's morale high. Otherwise, we can only try; the result is not in our hands."
The Franchise Vision
"It's a new franchise team. It will take time, but it will get better year by year," Shehzad said, emphasising the long-term approach Royal Champs are adopting. "Our management is good. We fulfill all the requirements of the team."
The franchise has assembled a truly international squad with the likes of Shakib Al Hassan, Jason Roy Aaron Jones, and Isuru Udana.
"We have players from all over the world. We all sit together and talk about the match. The team atmosphere is very good," he noted, highlighting the multicultural unity that defines the dressing room.
Abu Dhabi: A Sporting Home
For Shehzad, who has represented Afghanistan extensively in the UAE, Abu Dhabi's emergence as a global sporting hub is remarkable.
"It's an unbelievable place for sports. We used to have a lot of camps here in Afghanistan. We also have home ground here, so it feels really good to come here."
"The atmosphere here, the facilities – you see the academy, the stadium, and two smaller grounds. I've been playing here for a long time, so it feels like home to me."
Recovery Protocols
The demanding schedule of consecutive matches leaves little room for error in physical preparation.
"We have about 18-20 hours between matches in which we recover through swimming, physio, and exercise. After doing all that, we recover and come back ready," Shehzad said.
As Royal Champs continue building their T10 identity, Shehzad's message is clear: success won't come overnight, but with Walsh's guidance, strong management support, and Abu Dhabi's world-class infrastructure, the foundations are being laid for sustainable growth.
"There is a lot of life left to travel," Shehzad smiled when asked about exploring the city. But that can wait. Royal Champs are building something bigger than one tournament.
