File photo of Sachin Tendulkar© X (Twitter)
Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar will be back in action on a cricket field as he will feature in the inaugural International Masters League (IML), a six-team T20 competition, to be held later this year across three venues. The IML will have players from India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka and will be played in Mumbai, Lucknow and Raipur. The T20 tournament, to be held annually, is the brainchild of Tendulkar and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who will also be the league commissioner. Tendulkar and Gavaskar will collaborate with PMG Sports and SPORTFIVE, a sports marketing company, in establishing another company in India to stage the league, a release said.
Parties interested in participating in the league through an ownership of one of the franchise teams were also invited to send expression of interest.
“In the last decade, T20 cricket has accelerated its adoption, and has drawn new fans into the game. There is now a strong desire among fans across ages, to re-witness age-old battles in newer formats,” Tendulkar said.
“Sportspersons never retire at heart and the competitive streak within waits for an opportunity to get back on the field. We have conceived the International Masters League as a meeting point of passionate fans and competitive cricketers,” he added.
Gavaskar said, “The International Masters League will bring fans closer to the legends they've admired for years, offering another golden chance to watch their heroes live in action.”