Currently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prohibits Indian players from competing in international leagues. However, a proposal from the Saudi government to establish a new T20 league in the country may cause the Indian board to reconsider its position.
According to The Age, the discussions have been going on for about a year. However, before anything significant can happen, the International Cricket Council (ICC) must sanction the league. Recently, ICC chairman Greg Barclay confirmed Saudi Arabia’s interest in cricket.
If you look at other sports they’ve been involved in, I imagine cricket would be appealing to them, he said. Given their general advancement in sports, cricket would work quite well for Saudi Arabia.
They’re pretty keen to invest in sport, and given their regional presence, cricket would seem like an obvious one to pursue, Barclay added.
Our goal is to make Saudi Arabia a global cricketing destination for locals and expats living in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation chairman Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud told Arab News last month.
According to the report, a number of Saudi government and business representatives have been spotted around India’s cricketing activities, looking to entice IPL owners and the BCCI itself into their planned Twenty20 league, which would compete with the IPL in terms of financial prowess.
The possibility of hosting the annual Asia Cup, the opening match, or even a round of the IPL in Saudi Arabia is also being discussed.
