Grand slam of cricket: Saudi Arabia set to challenge IPL supremacy with Rs 43,47,42,00,000 Global T20 League

Saudi Arabia is gearing up to make a splash in the franchise cricket scene with a whopping USD 500 million (Rs 4347,42,00,000) investment in a new T20 league. This league is set to feature eight teams and will follow a format reminiscent of a tennis Grand Slam, with teams battling it out across four different locations throughout the year. Leading this ambitious project is SRJ Sports Investments, a key player in Saudi Arabia, headed by Danny Townsend, who brings a wealth of experience from his time as the former CEO of the A-League.

According to reports, talks about launching this league have been in the works for a year, involving SRJ Sports Investments and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The concept has been secretly in the works for a year and is the brainchild of Australian Neil Maxwell, the former NSW and Victoria all-rounder who manages Australian captain Pat Cummins and is a former board member of the Australian Cricketers' Association and Cricket NSW," the report said.

The report highlights the primary objective of this project, which is to tackle the most pressing issues in sports. This includes addressing the growing concerns surrounding the sustainability of Test cricket beyond the dominant trio of India, Australia, and England in the world of cricket.

"While players would be well compensated, the global league has been drawn up aspirationally as a way to establish an alternative revenue source beyond cricket's established funding model. Under that system, member nations receive income from broadcasters and ICC distributions, but it is weighted heavily in favour of the game's superpower India and to a lesser extent Australia and England, leaving small countries struggling for financial viability," the report added.

Right now, there’s no official word on the proposed league, but reports are hinting that it won’t clash with any major T20 tournaments and will be set up in its own time slot. The league is anticipated to introduce new franchises, including teams from Australia and Saudi Arabia, featuring both men's and women's competitions. There’s even talk that the final could take place in Saudi Arabia.

As we look ahead, the league might face some hurdles since it will need the green light from the Australian Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council (ICC). Ultimately, the decision could rest with ICC chair Jay Shah. Plus, convincing cricket boards, especially the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to let their players join in could be tricky. It’s important to remember that Indian players usually can’t compete in other T20 leagues to maintain the exclusivity of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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