International Masters League: Sachin Tendulkar to lead India, fixtures revealed

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar will be leading India as the eagerly awaited International Masters League (IML) is gearing up to captivate cricket fans worldwide with its inaugural edition, bringing together legendary cricketers from six cricketing giants for an exhilarating T20 franchise tournament. The competition will run from November 17th to December 8th, 2024 and will feature Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies.

The tournament will kick off at Navi Mumbai’s D.Y. Patil Stadium, which will host the opening four matches. The action begins on November 17th with a thrilling clash between India and Sri Lanka, reigniting the iconic rivalry between Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. In the following fixture, Shane Watson’s Australia will face Jacques Kallis’ South Africa, and later, Sri Lanka will go head-to-head with Eoin Morgan’s England. Brian Lara and his West Indies team will also make their debut against Australia in what is set to be a high-octane contest.

The IML caravan will then move to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BRSABV) Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on November 21st, where India will take on South Africa. Lucknow will host a total of six matches before the tournament shifts to Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium on November 28th. Here, India will square off against England, and Raipur will host eight games in total, including both semi-finals and the grand final on December 8th, where the first-ever champions of the International Masters League will be crowned.

The league brings back iconic players, each leading their respective teams with their immense experience and unparalleled cricketing prowess. Over 18 matches, these cricketing legends will relive past rivalries, fusing nostalgia with the excitement of T20 cricket.

The captains for the inaugural IML season are as follows:

1. India: Sachin Tendulkar

2. West Indies: Brian Lara

3. Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara

4. Australia: Shane Watson

5. England: Eoin Morgan

6. South Africa: Jacques Kallis

Tendulkar expressed his excitement in leading and representing India Masters in the league.

“As the ambassador and face of the IML, I am looking forward to leading and representing India Masters in the league. The action on the field will no doubt be competitive and exciting. All the players are enthused at the prospect of playing the IML at multiple venues. It’s an opportunity to inspire the next generation while celebrating the sport that we all love,” said Tendulkar.

Full Fixtures