New T10 Cricket League to be expanded in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
07:32AM Wed 4 Oct, 2017
After the announcement of the inaugural T10 tournament later this year at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, organisers are planning to hold matches in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh as well as Sri Lanka.
The upcoming 10-overs-per-side cricket tournament has received support from the likes of Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq and Eoin Morgan.
Former Indian cricket team opener Virender Sehwag, Sri Lanka cricket team legend Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan cricket team opener Fakhar Zaman will, reportedly, play for a team christened ‘Maratha Arabians’ in the T10 tournament, according to the Facebook page of the team.
Bollywood actor Sohail Khan is the co-owner of Maratha Arabians.
The new league was officially announced in Dubai on Tuesday, at the ceremony was attended by Afridi, Morgan, Misbah and Inzamam-ul-Haq, who is also Pakistan cricket team’s chief selector.
According to The National, the first edition of the T10 tournament will feature six teams and will be played in December. Officials from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards would co-manage two teams, Colombo Lions and Bangla Tigers. Inzamam is the co-owner of the franchise named Punjabi Legends.
“We are talking to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh about having T10 cricket there. The first year is going to be critical. If the game is executed correctly and picked up the way it should be, it could be adopted at the regional level, national, and then international level,” said Shaji Ul Mulk, the chairman and founder of the tournament.
Former Pakistani all-rounder Afridi said, “When [Pakhtoons franchise owner Habib Khan] came to me tell me about this, I said ‘Please, let me play in this format’.”
Misbah also shared his excitement. “Whoever came up with this idea did a wonderful job. It is a new concept, and for players like me, it is good for us with the kind of age we are – only 10 overs cricket. There is no need to go there and think a lot, and I think something new like this is good for the cricket fan.”
The six teams which will feature in the inaugural edition of the T10 tournament are: Maratha Arabians, Punjabi Legends, Bangla Tigers, Keralites King, Colombo Lions and Pakhtoons.
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