Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals co-owner GMR Group has acquired a franchise in the UAE T20 League Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Wednesday (February 23). The UAE T20 League is et to be launched this year.
“Indian-based infrastructure powerhouse, GMR Group has acquired the rights to own and operate Dubai franchise in the UAE T20 League to be held in UAE,” the ECB said.
GM Rao, Group Chairman at GMR Group, said: “Our team has 14-seasons’ experience in managing the franchise process, through our Delhi Capital team’s involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and we will integrate the same elements of these processes into UAE T20 League and help establish it as a premier and an integral part of the global cricket ecosystem.” Added Kiran Kumar Granthi, Corporate Chairman at GMR Group: “Based on our years of IPL experience we will harness to create a thriving cricket environment to budding players which will infinitely excite cricket aficionados.”
Despite facing trouble finding a suitable window to host the T20 tournament, ECB has asserted that they are putting in all the efforts to launch the tournament conduct the tournament in June-July. The tournament that will be featuring six teams is so far witnessed franchise acquisitions by Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Shah Rukh Khan, Lancer Capital, and Rajesh Sharma, a Dubai-based industrialist.
Khalid Al Zarooni, Vice-Chairman at ECB, said: “UAE T20 League considers itself very fortunate to have engaged in a series of very meaningful discussions with various potential stakeholders interested in investing in our League. These discussions have proven very rewarding culminating in us being extremely honoured to welcome GMR Group as our partner. The standing of this League, across the cricketing world, is vitally important to us, and we have aligned ourselves with partners that share the same values toward the game; holding its spirit, integrity and longevity to the highest regard.”
Mubashshir Usmani, general secretary of the board, said: “At its heart, the UAE T20 League will provide this opportunity for players within the Associate structure to play alongside world-class Internationals and be provided with a much-needed opportunity to showcase their skills to a wider audience. We are confident this League will quickly establish itself as one of our pioneering events and will shape cricket to new heights.”
Sanctioned by Emirates Cricket Board, the UAE T20 League is a professional franchise-based T20 cricket league that has six franchise teams participating in a 34-match campaign.
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