Inaugural Legends Intercontinental T-20 League To Take Place From August 16 To 28 In Texas
Gracing the occasion were former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel and Australia's legendary pacer Bret Lee, who lend their esteemed presence as brand supporters of the Legends Intercontinental T-20 League.
The league's CEO and former Ranji Trophy player, Vishal Sharma, unveiled the teams, tournament schedule and marquee players for what promises to be a cricketing spectacle.
Scheduled to kickstart on August 16, the tournament will see seven teams - Indo Kings, Asian Avengers, Euro Rangers, American Mavericks, Trans-Tasman Titans, African Lions and Caribbean Vikings- all vying for the inaugural title.
The LIT-20 will be played in a single round-robin format, with the top four teams at the end of the league stage advancing to the knockout stage. A total of 24 exhilarating matches will be played, with each day featuring double-headers. The semi-final will take place on August 27, followed by the grand finale on August 28.
Speaking about the newly-formed League, Vishal Sharma said, "We are thrilled to launch the Legends Intercontinental T-20 League, which will feature legendary stars from various continents putting on a spectacular cricketing show. Cricket has been growing at a rapid pace in the USA, and we believe this is an ideal time to introduce a legends league to the cricket fans present in the USA.
"The idea behind the league is to introduce this new market to the legendary stars who have achieved great things in their careers and made us fall in love with the game through their talent. This is the beginning of something special, and we are excited to embark on this journey with stars like Parthiv Patel, Brett Lee, TM Dilshan, and Graeme Swann present with us today on this special occasion," he added.
Expressing their excitement on being associated with the Legends Intercontinental T-20 League Dilshan said, "I think the Legends Intercontinental T-20 League is going to be amazing. We can share our memories. Those days we played together, we fought on the field and shared great rivalry. Still, people want to see legends playing. So, I'm just excited and looking forward to competing in what will be a cricket extravaganza."
Lending his support to the league, former Aussie pacer Lee said, "It's always great for us to see guys that I've played against my whole career. I think that's great, seeing that sport does. It allows an opportunity for us to catch up again. And now with legends in front of our team, it's going to be a lot of fun. So, I'm looking forward to what is in store for the players and it's great."
Legendary players such as Graeme Swann, TM Dilshan and Liam Plunkett have confirmed their participation in the inaugural season of the Legends Intercontinental T-20 League. The full roster of players will be announced in the build-up to the tournament.