After establishing its sporting footprint in Formula 1, Grand Prix and LIV Golf, Saudi Arabia is now aiming to set up the world’s richest Twenty20 tournament, reported an Australian news outlet.
According to a report in The Age. the Saudi Arabian government has held talks with Indian Premier League owners, in order to ensure success for its next project. The Gulf state authorities want Indian players to participate in the proposed franchise league.
Currently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) forbids Indian players from participating in overseas T20 competitions, however, the rules can be relaxed at the Saudi government’s insistence.
Cricket: Saudi Arabia seeks to set up world’s richest cricket competition https://t.co/piYd86By5b
— Malcolm Conn (@malcolmconn) April 13, 2023
Reportedly, talks had been underway for the league since last year, although it would also require to be sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and approved by its member countries.
ICC chairman Greg Barclay also confirmed Saudi Arabia’s interest in investing in cricket.
“If you look at other sports they’ve been involved in, cricket is something I imagine would be attractive to them,” he said.
“Given their advance into sport more generally, cricket would work quite well for Saudi Arabia.
“They’re pretty keen to invest in sport, and given their regional presence, cricket would seem a pretty obvious one to pursue.”
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