MI Emirates appoint Mark Boucher as head coach, replacing title-winning Robin Singh

Boucher steps in at MI Emirates

MI Emirates have confirmed the appointment of Mark Boucher as their head coach for the International League T20 (ILT20), with the former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter taking over the reins of the Ambani-owned franchise ahead of the new season.

Boucher replaces Robin Singh, who exits the role after a highly successful spell in charge. It was Singh who led MI Emirates to their first-ever ILT20 title in 2024, and the franchise will now hope Boucher can build on that foundation after the team fell just short in the most recent edition.

Mark Boucher, previously head coach of Mumbai Indians and MI New York, has now been appointed MI Emirates head coach

A familiar face in the MI ecosystem

The appointment is no leap into the unknown for either party. Boucher is already a well-established figure within the Mumbai Indians family, having served as head coach of the flagship IPL franchise for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

He then crossed continents to take charge of MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC), and promptly made his mark by guiding the American outfit to the MLC championship in 2024 — a triumph that underlined his pedigree in the shortest format across different conditions and competitions.

Task: converting runners-up into champions again

Boucher inherits a side that came agonisingly close to silverware in the 2025-26 season. MI Emirates finished as runners-up, going down to the Desert Vipers in the final, and the new coach's immediate mandate will be to restore the team to the top of the ILT20 pile.

With a title-winning squad pedigree, a championship-winning coach in the dugout and the backing of one of cricket's most successful franchise networks, MI Emirates will be among the favourites when the next ILT20 season gets underway.