Dubai continues to be venue of choice for SA’s T20 League
dubai — The UAE and Dubai continues to be the venue of choice with the activities of the brand new T20 League — the South Africa Global T20 League — returning to the city of happiness, towards the end of this month.
The eight owners and representatives of the teams as well as the organisers of the League will hold an owners meeting in Dubai on September 22 and 23. The agenda as well as the venue will be announced in due course. This is the second time that they will be holding a conference in Dubai. In the build-up to the inaugural season, the eight team owners and representatives of the teams, and the organisers had converged in Dubai for a two-day workshop on July 29 and 30.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Haroon Lorgat had told the Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview then that Dubai was the preferred and convenient destination and logistically worked out well for all the parties concerned to hold the workshop here. Lorgat had also revealed that there would be many more meetings and perhaps, other activities in Dubai, before the competition gets rolling on November 3. The tournament runs until December 16.
The South Africa Global T20 League has a distinct Dubai touch to it with two of the team owners hailing from the city. Dubai’s Suhail Galadari has partnered with Javed Afridi to co-own the Benoni Zalmi franchise, while Dubaibased Ajay Sethi, Chairman of Channel 2 Group, owns the Nelson Mandela Bay Stars.
They are joined by Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s Cape Town Knight Riders, GMR Group’s Joburg Giants as well as Durban Qalandars and Pretoria Mavericks. Bollywood actress Preity Zinta is the latest to make a foray.