New Delhi: Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has joined the ownership group of the National Cricket League (NCL) in America on Sunday, the tournament organisers issued a media release to make the announcement.
The inauagural edition of the National Cricket League, a T10 format-based competition added to the flourishing interest in US cricket, commenced on October 5. The tournament features a few Indian names in Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, and Robin Uthappa.
Tendulkar’s move to join the ownership group of the NCL is seen as growing the sport in the American country, which jointly hosted the T20 World Cup 2024 earlier this year.
“Cricket has been my life’s greatest journey and I am pleased to join the National Cricket League at such an exciting time for the sport in the US,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying in a media release, as reported by news agency PTI.
“The NCL’s vision to create a platform for world-class cricket while inspiring a new generation of fans to resonate with me. I look forward to being part of this new initiative and witnessing the growth of cricket in the US first hand,” Tendulkar added.
Tendulkar will presnet the NCL trophy to the winning team after the final on October 15 in Texas.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Sachin Tendulkar to the National Cricket League family,” said Arun Agarwal, chairman of the NCL.
“His influence in cricket is comparable to what Pele does in soccer or Babe Ruth in baseball. Sachin’s commitment to the game, along with his global appeal, will be key as we introduce cricket to new audiences in America. His involvement highlights the NCL’s goal to inspire future generations and establish cricket as a major sport in the US,” Agarwal added.
Who are other prominent faces in first season of NCL?
Many legendary players from different countries are part of the coaching setup in the first season of the NCL. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Wasim Akram, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sir Vivian Richards, Venkatesh Prasad, Sanath Jayasuriya, Moin Khan and Blair Franklin are named in the list of coaches and mentors for the six teams.
Many present international cricketers such as Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa), Angelo Matthews (Sri Lanka), Sam Billings (England), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) and Johnson Charles (West Indies) are playing in the NCL.
Sachin Tendulkar’s move to join the ownership group of the NCL is seen as growing the sport in the American country, which jointly hosted the T20 World Cup 2024 earlier this year. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
