The popularity of T20 Leagues has extended beyond professional leagues, creating a space for retired legends to showcase their skills. Several initiatives have emerged, offering fans a chance to relive the glory days and witness cricketing icons in action.
1. Legends League Cricket: Founded by Raman Raheja and Vivek Khushalani, and owned by Absolute Legends Sports Pvt Ltd, Legends League Cricket is a prominent T20 league for retired players.
Ravi Shastri serves as the league’s commissioner. The league operates in two formats: a Masters tournament and a franchise tournament, featuring teams like India Maharajas and Bhilwara Kings respectively.
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2. Road Safety World Series: This international T20 league, aiming to promote road safety awareness, features legendary international cricketers. India Legends won the title in 2022, defeating Sri Lanka Legends in the final.
Participating teams include India Legends, South Africa Legends, and others. While the 2025 series was scheduled for England, it has been postponed indefinitely.
3. World Championship of Legends (WCL):
This T20 tournament pits teams from India, Pakistan, England, Australia, South Africa, and the West Indies against each other. The inaugural tournament took place in the United Kingdom in July 2024.
4. Legends Intercontinental T20 League (LIT20): Scheduled for August 16 to 29, 2024, at Moosa Stadium in Texas, USA, LIT20 is a new tournament featuring retired players. The league comprises seven teams: Indo Kings, Asian Avengers, Euro Rangers, American Mavericks, Trans-Tasman Titans, African Lions, and Caribbean Vikings.
The format will involve a single round-robin, with the top four teams advancing to the knockout stage, resulting in 24 matches. Expect to see legends like Brett Lee and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
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5. The International Masters League (IML): Conceived by Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, the IML is an annual T20 tournament featuring retired legends from six cricket-playing nations:
India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka. Gavaskar serves as the League Commissioner, and Tendulkar will captain the India team. The inaugural edition will be held from February 22nd to March 16th, 2025, across Navi Mumbai, Rajkot, and Raipur.
6. Charity Cricket Challenge:
These matches provide a platform to raise funds for a cause. They often feature past players and can attract a substantial crowd. Some clubs host professional teams for such events.