In a major development for the sport, Saudi Arabia has officially entered cricket, as their federation has taken a serious step towards breaking into the sport.
The Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation, on Tuesday, September 30, officially announced a strategic partnership with the International League T20 as they finally step into the sport after months of speculation.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source
Saudi Arabia enters cricket, stages alignment with the ILT20
The Middle East nation, in a significant move, has allied with their neighbours and has paved the way for the ILT20 games to be played in the Saudi Kingdom.
The partnership also includes a plan to hold women's games, which would be a rare occurrence on Saudi soil.
Through the alliance, the ILT20 will work along with SACF to develop and nurture cricketing talents in the nation. They will also integrate with the Saudi's Cricket Investment Company (CIC) and will focus on investments required to mainstream the sport.
MORE: Women’s ODI World Cup 2025: Format, rules, and groups explained for CWC25 in India.
"SACF has sanctioned and licensed the DP World ILT20 as an official T20 league (men and women) to host matches within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of the forthcoming seasons. The milestone serves as another important step in ILT20's efforts to expand and enrich cricket across the Gulf region," said a statement issued by the ILT20.
The nation has the power and money to disrupt cricket, the way they disrupted the other sports. Saudi Arabia's intent to make a move towards cricket is a big moment in the history of the sport.
The board will now focus on developing and promoting cricket in the Gulf region, which has surprisingly been away from the sport for so many years.
RELATED LINKS:
- Who will win the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 odds, winners list, favourites to win, schedule, and results
ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025: Schedule, fixtures, match times, latest results, and points table
How to bet online on cricket in India and the most trusted sites
- All betting tips and predictions