Sachin Tendulkar set to play in International Masters League T20 tournament

Hyderabad: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is set to become a player once again when he takes part in the inaugural edition of the International Masters League (IML). The IML is the brainchild of Tendulkar and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.

The IML is set to be an annual T20 tournament featuring yesteryear players from India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England and Sri Lanka.

The inaugural edition will be played in Mumbai, Lucknow and Raipur.

The league will be staged by OMG Sports and SportFive, leading sports management and marketing organisation, respectively.

Tendulkar, after retiring from international cricket in 2013, has taken part in some tournaments. He retired from the sport as the highest run-scorer in international cricket after having played 200 Test matches, 463 ODIs and one T20I.

The tournament will bring back iconic rivalries of the yesteryear with many prominent names from the cricketing field set to take part in the tournament once again.

Gavaskar is the League Commissioner of the IML.

Tendulkar said the IML was conceived as a meeting point of passionate fans and competitive cricketers. “Cricket continues to grow in popularity not just in India, but across the world. In the last decade, T20 cricket has accelerated its adoption, and has drawn new fans into the game. There is now a strong desire among fans across ages, to re-witness age-old battles in newer formats. Sportspersons never retire at heart, and the competitive streak within, waits for an opportunity to get back on the field. We have conceived the International Masters League as a meeting point of passionate fans and competitive cricketers. I am certain all players participating will get back into the groove and prepare hard. When we represent our countries, we all want to play top quality cricket and try to win,” he said, in a media statement.

The IML gives fans another chance to watch their yesteryear heroes back in action again.