Why top players are eager to play in new Cricket Kenya T20 League

Kenya's batsman Sachin Bhudia during the Continental Cup T20 Africa Men's Tournament against Uganda at Nairobi Gymkana club. June 18, 2023. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] Cricket Kenya and Dubai-India-based AOS Sport Tournament have penned a Sh255 million five-year contractual agreement to support the cricket extravaganza This year's showpiece will be contested by six franchises composed of local and Test players from across the globe. Cricket Kenya (CK) has established a high-profile T20 League (CKT20) that is expected to take the country's game by storm. The money-spinning showpiece set to bowl off in Nairobi in September is already causing a buzz across the globe following the lucrative contractual agreement that has been penned by CK and the Dubai-India-based sports promotional outfit AOS Sport Tournament. The mouthwatering five-year deal is already whetting the appetite of world-class Test players who cannot wait to jet into the country to battle for honours in the expected cutthroat competition. "This is huge. It will be exciting. It will be thrilling. It will turn around Kenya's game for the better," said the former Kenyan international Kennedy Obuya. "Kenyans should brace for an exciting showpiece because this league is going to change the country's revenues in the sport," said Obuya. The league is set to get USD 300,000 (Sh38 million) funding in the opening 2025 season from the AOS. The support will be increased by USD50,000 annually, translating to Sh45 million in 2026, Sh51 million in 2027, Sh57 million in 2028, and Sh64 million in 2029, totaling approximately Sh255 million in the five years at the current rate. "This strategic collaboration is poised to catapult Kenyan cricket to unprecedented heights. The CKT20 League promises to unlock vast potential for Kenyan cricketers, as well as talented players from the African associate member nations," said the AOS Sport Tournament Chairman Chandra Prakash Panwar. "This initiative aligns with the vision of Honorable Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who graciously pledged comprehensive support to the Kenyan government to support Kenya's tourism and sport," added Panwar. This year's league will be an intense 25-day showdown to be contested by six franchises that have been allowed to bring over five Test players from across the globe. "Only four of the foreign players in a team will be permitted to play at any given fixture; the rest of the fielded squad will be local," explained Obuya, who is also a CK Board Member. While urging Kenyans to be ready for the expected thrilling contest, Obuya said that the league will take the format of the famed Indian Premier League T20 to make it exciting. "It is the first time that a tournament of such magnitude is going to be held in Kenya, and so cricket lovers should brace for a riveting display on and off the pitch. Asked what the tournament really means for the country, Obuya who also doubles as the CK County Representative stated: "This league is going to improve our game, it is going to give our players unmatched exposure, it is going to take Kenya back to the global limelight, it is going to improve CK revenues as well as welfare of the participating players. "The league is also going to champion the development of women's cricket across the country by letting women cricketers be involved in it, in different capacities. We are also hopeful that the proceeds from the league will trickle down to the counties to support grassroots development of the game." sports@standardmedia.co.ke

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