Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and spin expert Shane Warne, along with other retired international cricket players, have collaborated together to play T20 matches in the US in November. With a motive to promote cricket in the US, Tendulkar and Warne will be leading the two teams: Sachin’s Blasters and Warne’s Warriors, respectively.
Titled as Cricket All-Stars Series 2015, a total of three matches will be played: Citi Field in New York on November 7, Minute Maid Park in Houston on November 11 and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on November 14. These three are baseball stadium, hence, altercations are being done and drop-in pitches will be added for the matches.
Talking to the leading daily Wall Street Journal, Tendulkar said, “We want to leave an impression behind. That’s what we are here for — to entertain people, to leave great memories behind and get them excited about some quality cricket.”
Warne shared, “To make history in America playing these cricket games, myself and Sachin walking out and tossing the coin in New York at Citi Field, will be a pretty epic moment.”
The duo will be accompanied by 26 other players from different countries, and they are:
India: Sourav Ganguly, Ajit Agarkar, VVS Laxman
Australia: Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Brad Haddin
England: Graeme Swann, Michael Vaughan
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan
South Africa: Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald
West Indies: Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose
Pakistan: Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Moin Khan
Though the International Cricket Board (ICC) has permitted for T20 matches, according to the sources, ICC will not be providing any kind of infrastructure assistance for these matches. The organizers will be arranging everything on their expense. Reportedly, a certain amount of the income generated from these matches will go to the ICC for the endorsement of the sport in the US.