The Saudi Arabian government is reportedly in talks with the owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in a move that could potentially change the format of the world’s richest Twenty20 tournament forever.
According to a report published in Australian newspaper, the oil rich Gulf state is exploring the possibility of investing in cricket as its next project, following its involvement in the Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix and the investments made in LIV Golf.
Under the current rules set by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Indian players are banned from participating in overseas T20 competitions. However, representatives from the Saudi Arabian government have proposed relaxing this rule to allow Indian players to participate in the tournament.
The report says that the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman, Greg Barclay, has confirmed Saudi Arabia’s interest in cricket and said that given their investment in other sports, cricket would seem like a natural fit. He also added that cricket has the potential to be a game-changing competition.
The move is part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to strengthen its relationship with India and become the number one tourist destination for Indians by 2030.
Currently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the preferred location for cricket matches in the Western Asian region. However, Saudi Arabia has hopes of becoming a “global cricketing destination,” according to the Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud.
Australian paper’s report says the UAE already has its own short-form competition with the ILT20, which launched last year and features a number of overseas players due to the weak domestic system in the country. The potential entry of Saudi Arabia into the T20 format could significantly shake up the competition and provide a new platform for Indian players to showcase their skills.
