Dubai, December 10, 2025: The excitement of ILT20 Season 4 reached beyond the stadiums this week as players from the Gulf Giants discovered a very different sport in the UAE desert. The team took a short break from their winning run to experience camel riding, one of the country’s most loved traditional activities.
The Gulf Giants, a franchise managed by Adani Sportsline, who kicked off the ILT20 Season 4 with two victories out of three matches, made a trip to the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre (ADCRC) in Lisaili – Al Marmoom, Dubai. This centre has been awarded the title of the first officially recognized camel riding school in the area and aspires to maintain and showcase the Emirati culture through this olden desert sport.
The players of Gulf Giants like Aayan Khan, Asif Khan, Haidar Razzaq, Meet Bhavsar, Ishtiaq Ahmed, and Zuhaib Zubair, upon arrival, decided to switch their sports equipment with camel saddles. They were taught the proper ways of controlling a camel and experienced riding on the dunes.
Learning the Art of Camel Racing
Season 4 players of ILT20 were given a warm welcoming by professional camel jockeys and trainers who took them through the basics of the sport. The cricketers were taught how to talk to their camels, keep on the saddle, and ride safely on the desert circuit. The pleasant communication between the players and the local riders added to the day’s fun. For a number of Gulf Giants players, this was their first time ever to see and even try the sport that has been part of UAE culture for centuries.
The ADCRC organizers welcomed the players with a detailed presentation of camel racing history and the changes in the sport through the years. Besides, they showed how technology has helped ensure the safety and training of both camels and riders. The players were very observant and exhibited their appreciation for the hard work involved in mastering the skill.
Gulf Giants players made it clear that the day opened their eyes to the fact how sports and local traditions have been blending together for a long time. They also rated this occasion as a very pleasant respite from the busy season of ILT20 Season 4 and also as a perfect chance to socialize more with the country that is the venue of one of the most exciting cricket tournaments.
Cultural Exchange in the Desert
The session closed on a friendly note when the Gulf Giants give their jerseys to the camel jockeys, which is a very symbolic act of the existing friendship and respect among people from different cultures that is so characteristic of the UAE. One of the players commented, “We had only heard about camel racing but to be part of it was a different experience altogether. It was a peek into the UAE’s culture.”
Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre wants to introduce the past easy and open to the people from the world. For the Gulf Giants, it was not just a thrilling session but also an opportunity to experience new team-building and coordination skills which are also important on the cricket ground. The trip further demonstrated the ever-growing alliance between contemporary sports and local culture during ILT20 Season 4.
Solving the problem of having fewer youth festivals in UAE, this camel racing is one of the activities that make up for it. Along with establishing friendships that are cultivated through rivalries, the UAE will be seeing more teams and international players come in. Camel racing is still hailed as an aesthetic aspect of the UAE’s cultural heritage. It has transformed from a local cultural event of the tribes into a global event that attracts tourists and participants from all corners of the earth.
It signifies the virtues of endurance, patience, and commitment qualities that are appreciated in both camel racing and cricket. The Gulf Giants’ participation in this cultural activity was a unique episode in ILT20 Season 4, suggesting that the tournament was not only about cricket but also about the mixing of cultures and the spirit of community.
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