File photo of Sachin Tendulkar© Twitter
Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar was on Saturday unveiled as being a part of the ownership group of the National Cricket League. Tendulkar will also present the championship trophy to the winning team at the NCL's inaugural tournament, marking a historic moment for the sport's rise in America. Commenting on the development, NCL chairman Arun Agarwal said Sachin is bigger than 'Tom Brady and Michael Jordan combined."
Agarwal said: "I am very happy that Sachin is also a part of this league. Very excited about that. He will be our mentor and guide. He will be part of the ownership group. I will not announce when he will join as I want to keep that secret. This is the first time he is joining any US league. He is bigger than Michael Jordan and Tom Brady combined, if I can put it this way.
"NCL wants to promote the game in the USA. We are thankful for what happened today. Sachin will inspire the youngsters here. Young players in USA will be able to spend time with Sachin, the young players here will be able to learn a lot from him. Sachin will inspire all of them. Young students will also benefit greatly from Tendulkar's association with the league. I can't express my happiness in words."
Chairman Agarwal further said, "His presence will inspire future generations. His arrival will give a different identity to cricket in America."
The National Cricket League T10 started from October 4, with the first match being between Texas Gladiators CC and Dallas Lonestars CC. A total of 19 matches will be played during 10 days. The league stage will end by October 11. After this, playoff (Qualifier 1, Qualifier 2, Eliminator and Final) matches will be played. A total of six teams are participating in the National Cricket T10 League, namely Atlanta Kings CC, Dallas Lonestars CC, Chicago CC, New York Lions CC, Texas Gladiators CC and Los Angeles Waves CC.