Cricket’s newest experiment-Ten10 is going to be launched in a grand fashion in Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE and will be played from December 14th to 17th,2017. The Heera T10 league is founded by Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman of Mulk Holdings and its president is Salman Iqbal, owner of ARY group.
The league comprises 6 teams and has adopted a round-robin format that will be followed by knockouts. A bowler can bowl a maximum of 2 overs and an innings of a T10 match is to be completed in 45 minutes, failing which penalties will be imposed.
If in any way, the league gives a low-key impression, a look at the squads and the support staff involved makes us long for the league to take off right away.
Here’s a look at the icon players and their respective teams: Eoin Morgan (Kerala Kings), Virender Sehwag (Maratha Arabians), Shahid Afridi (Pakhtoons), Shoaib Malik (Punjabi legends), Dinesh Chandimal (Team Sri Lanka Cricket) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Bengal Tigers)
The 1st match will see Bengal Tigers squaring up against the Kerala Kings. The final will be played on Sunday, the 17th where the winners of the 2 semi-finals will vie against each other for the coveted trophy.
6 teams. 10 overs. 90 minutes.
The teams are arriving in style, filled with the greatest cricketers, all set to change the dimension of the game.
Watch the #DesertStorm, from December 14th-17th at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. pic.twitter.com/vJC5YCbiMW— T10 League (@T10League) November 27, 2017
Sony ESPN has acquired the rights to broadcast the league in India while it is Ten Sports in Pakistan, Channel 9 in Bangladesh and ARY digital network in the United Kingdom and the United States.
A glamorous opening ceremony is planned on the 14th before the 1st ball of the historic tournament is bowled. The Great Khali, celebrities including few Bollywood stars are associated with this nascent league.
Anthems of several teams have been out, and the people responsible for the official team pages and sites have been running online contests in full flow to attract a good fan base.
Teams List
- Team Sri Lanka Cricket
- Punjabi Legends
- Pakhtoon
- Kerala Kings
- Maratha Arabians
- Bengal Tigers
There are talks already of increasing from 6 to 8 teams come next year but it will largely depend upon the availability of players in the league’s designated window.
Questions such as “What next, a T-5?”, “Impact on Test Cricket?”, “Balance between bat and ball?” might come up and this format is certain to have some sort of divide opinion amongst cricket experts and in the cricketing circles too.
However, fans would be in for a humdinger considering the list of exciting players gearing up to entertain us and we never know something until it is tried. After all, T20 had crossed initial reluctance and numerous hurdles to take its unique spot in the cricketing landscape.
– by Nikhil Vadapalli
