Sports Desk: The Arab nations have been heavily investing in sports in the recently. Saudi Arabia is planning a new cricketing league like the IPL and the Big Bash League soon. According to a report by Gulf News, the proposed league would be a muti million project of around 500 USD.
Saudi Arabia is planning to launch a new cricket league similar to the IPL and the Big Bash League, according to a report by Gulf News. This proposed league is projected to be a multimillion-dollar project, estimated around 500 million USD.
What would make the league unique than most of the top cricketing leagues? It would comprise of eight teams, however, it could be based from the established cricketing nations like Australia, India, and others. Besides, matches would be played in four different locations during the year, with the final being held at Saudi Arabia.
The projected tournament is said to be a brainchild of former Australian cricketer Neil Maxwell. Alternatively, it is also being reported that the government of Saudi Arabia could be the likely investor of the league, along with a company named sRJ Sports Investments.
The tournament is aiming to be a new competitor of IPL and Big Bash League that has already established in the cricketing market and gained global popularity. It might also feature separate editions for men and women.
Recently, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab nations like UAE and Qatar have made an impression for itself for exponentially investing in the sports industry with substantial investments in football and other sports.
Qatar recently hosted the FIFA World Cup. One of its companies also owns the Paris Saint-Germain football club.
Likewise, UAE periodically hosts multiple cricketing and tennis tournaments. It is also linked to the premier League football club Manchester City and Arsenal.
Saudi Arabia is already preparing to host the next FIFA World Cup. It has also made significant investments in the Saudi Pro League, attracting iconic stars such as Ronaldo. It is also linked with prominent football clubs like Newcastle United.
This would be the first time an Arab nation would be aiming for cricket, which has a substantial global market, especially in the South Asia. Although, it might face significant hurdles for the International Cricket Council (ICC) and particularly from the Indian cricketing board – BCCI. Nonetheless, the introduction of a Saudi cricketing league could potentially reshape the dynamics of international cricket, bringing new opportunities and excitement to the sport.
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