The International Masters League (IML) is set to commence on November 17, with six elite cricketing nations, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, and West Indies, battling out for the biggest prize.
The event will take place from November 17 to December 8, 2024, and fans can expect to see 18 thrilling matches with legendary cricket players leading their sides.
The competition will begin on November 17 at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, with Team India, led by Sachin Tendulkar, taking on Sri Lanka, led by Kumar Sangakkara. This inaugural match is keenly anticipated since it renews old rivalries. Following that, the tournament will include matches between Australia and South Africa, led by Shane Watson and Jacques Kallis, as well as several other prominent games, such as England, led by Eoin Morgan and Brian Lara‘s West Indies, demonstrating the fierce rivalry and prowess of these cricketing legends.
After the early matches in Navi Mumbai, the action shifts to Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BRSABV) Ekana Cricket Stadium on November 21 for a number of six contests, featuring a noteworthy encounter between India and South Africa. The league then moves on to Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium for the event’s last leg, which contains eight matches, semi-finals, and the grand finale on December 8.
Sachin Tendulkar, a player and the League Ambassador, said, “As the ambassador and face of the IML, I am looking forward to leading and representing India Masters in the league. The action on the field will no doubt be competitive and exciting. All the players are enthused at the prospect of playing the IML at multiple venues. It’s an opportunity to inspire the next generation while celebrating the sport that we all love.”
League Commissioner Sunil Gavaskar commented, “Stalwarts from every country will be playing the International Masters League. For them, it is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills and show the world that they are still very good. These guys don’t know what it is to take it easy. It is going to be an exciting league, with close contests. I am sure it will be worth a treat for all those who come to the ground and watch on the television.”
Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar established the six-team competition. These two all-time greats collaborated with PMG Sports, India’s most significant sports management organisation, and SPORTFIVE, a well-known global sports marketing agency, to form a company in India to host the league.
PMG Sports and SPORTFIVE Sports Management LLC will be in charge of the league’s commercial and operational aspects, including franchise partnerships, commercial rights partnerships, on-the-ground execution, and broadcast production.
