Saudi Arabia is planning something huge for cricket fans around the world, a new global T20 league. This could change cricket as we know it, and an Australian cricket expert named Neil Maxwell is leading the charge. As reported by Australian Media, The age, the new league will have eight teams. These teams will play in different countries throughout the year, just like Grand Slam in tennis. The idea is to make cricket more exciting and financially strong, especially beyond big cricketing nations like India, Australia, and England. They are waiting for ICC’s approval.
Who is supporting it?
Saudi Arabia is preparing to fund this league through their sports investment group, SRJ Sports Investments, led by Danny Townsend. They are ready to put in a massive amount of money, around $500 million. This makes Saudi Arabia a big player in sports, just like their involvement in football, golf and car racing. Talking about the biggest league, IPL, their worth is currently $12 billion.
What are the goals?
Neil Maxwell has been planning this for over a year with the help of the Australian Cricketers’ Association. They want to create new revenue options for cricket and help struggling teams like the West Indies. The league won’t clash with popular T20 competitions like IPL and Big Bash League. There will be new teams, including ones from Australia, and even women’s teams. The grand finals could be held in Saudi Arabia.
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Roadblocks and the future
To make this happen, Saudi Arabia needs support from major cricket bodies like the ICC and Cricket Australia. Jay Shah, the Indian cricket chief, will have a big say in this. There might be challenges, like convincing Indian authorities to allow Indian players to join, who currently can only play in the IPL when it comes to T20 leagues.
Saudi Arabia’s past with human rights issues might stir up controversies, but they are trying to improve their global image through big investments in sports. Despite potential challenges, this new league is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to boost their economy and make sports a big part of their international identity.
