“Why are all of us here for the auction?”
The corridors of the plush hotel, with a view of the Red Sea on one side and the Formula One racing track on the other that hosted the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 18th Player Auction, were abuzz with this chatter over the last three days.
Was it just an extension of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s move to open the rest of the world through the world of sport? Does it mean IPL matches will soon be held in the country that barely has a cricketing culture? Or is Saudi Arabia planning to invest in the IPL or start its own parallel league?
When Sportstar caught up with Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud, the chairman of the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation (SACF), at the end of the Player Auction at the Abadi Al Johar Arena, we asked him all things related to it.
Excerpts:
Q: What will hosting the IPL Auction bring to cricket in Saudi Arabia?
It will bring a lot, actually. It’s a massive event. It will help us implement a lot of our plans down the line. Hosting it would not have been possible without the big support from the Government and Mr Jay (Shah, the BCCI secretary). It’s just the beginning of many big events that are coming to the Kingdom.
Q: Should we expect major cricketing international events to be held in Saudi Arabia soon?
Yes, we have infrastructure plans down the line for 2025. Once it’s done, we will start hosting matches and tournaments.
Can you share the status of the big international stadium that is being planned?
We are discussing it with the Jeddah state office and we will announce it soon.
Q: Are there any plans about hosting the IPL in Jeddah going forward?
Maybe. If the discussion goes well with the leadership of the IPL, why not!
Q: What is the state of cricket in Saudi Arabia?
We have a lot of pitches, not international standard. We have more than 470 teams, almost 18,000 players and 13 cities in the Kingdom (that play cricket regularly). Along with six domestic programmes we do all over the Kingdom as well, from grassroot programmes to talent hunts in every region.
Q: Can you spell out the details about the future plans of SACF?
Yes, we are speaking about a professional league. Conversation is developing with many entities here in the Kingdom and we will announce it soon.
Q: Is an international league being planned in Saudi Arabia?
No, it is not true.
Q: Is it true that Saudi Arabia authorities want to invest in IPL?
That is not true as well.
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