Saudi Arabia looks to strengthen ties with India by hosting IPL teams in the Gulf kingdom (Sportzpix)
Saudi Arabia is looking to strengthen its ties with India by hosting IPL teams on its shores, although talks are still on whether it will be just exhibition games or a full-fledged T20 league.
In an effort to further strengthen bilateral ties between India and Saudi Arabia, cricket could possibly be used as a catalyst in the near future.
There is a bright and growing prospect of the Indian cricket establishment traveling to Saudi shores very soon and establishing the game there in some form or the other. It could possibly be based on the idea of franchise-driven T20 cricket.
However, at this stage, it is difficult to say whether a full-fledged T20 league along the lines of the IPL is being planned or just exhibition matches featuring IPL teams.
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“Yes, talks are on but it is not clear as of now whether it will be a full tournament or just friendly matches with IPL teams,” he said. However, cricket’s future in Saudi is assured,” an insider tracking developments told News18 CricketNext.
However, it is to be noted that none of the existing IPL franchises investing in foreign leagues have spoken in this regard. The BCCI has also not discussed such a proposal internally with its existing stakeholders including potential broadcasters.
Over the years, Saudi Arabia has shown keen interest in getting involved with the IPL.
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Last year, the world’s largest oil company Aramco came as the sponsor of the orange and purple caps of the IPL. The deal was extended for this edition as well.
Additionally, the BCCI signed Saudi Tourism as one of the official partners of the IPL ahead of the ongoing season, replacing Unacademy for the 2023 edition. The deal is likely to last for several years and was estimated to be worth Rs 60 crore per season.
“Over the years, we have seen the Indian Premier League emerge as a dominant force on the global stage, generating strong appeal across the sports ecosystem. For us, this is an exciting prospect given that the Saudi Tourism Authority has great faith in the power of the IPL to bring countries together.
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“We believe the partnership will help promote the unique and diverse offering of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and position it as a leading leisure and tourism destination in the world. This partnership will create new opportunities for cricket in the Kingdom and promote the sport in the region.” Will strengthen,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said on his arrival on the Saudi tourism board.
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