New Delhi: The World Sports Group on Wednesday announced the launch of the inaugural edition Asian Legends League at a Press Conference at The Lalit Hotel in New Delhi. The exciting T20 tournament will see teams comprising of legendary stars from five biggest Asian cricketing nations — India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan — compete in a thrilling tournament, taking place from March 13 to March 21, 2024.

The League Commissioner and former Indian cricketer Mr Chetan Sharma also announced the names of the five franchises along with their Icon Players for the season at the Press Conference. While former India allrounder Irfan Pathan became a part of the Indian Royals, former Pakistan speedster Mohammad Irfan entered his name in the fray for Pakistan Stars. Sri Lanka Lions roped in former opening batsman Upul Tharanga, while former Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan joined Afghanistan Pathans for the inaugural season. Mohammad Ashraful was onboarded by Bangladesh Tiger as their icon player.

Speaking about the newly formed competition, Mr. Chetan Sharma said, “The Asian Legends League is a one-of-a-kind tournament which will see some of the biggest names from the five top countries in Asia battle for supremacy once again. As cricketers, when we play cricket we feel very proud. But it's always a proud feeling to represent your country in such leagues. The presence of marquee players like Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Irfan will surely make this league a must-watch among cricket lovers.”

Explaining his motivations to associate with the league, Irfan Pathan said, “it feels good to be playing on the field after being a commentator for so long. But our first love is always playing cricket. And playing in the Asian Legends League will surely bring back a lot of memories. I have played a lot of cricket against the other Icon players in this league. It gives you a different thrill. For the fans also, it will be a very thrilling experience. It's always fun to watch such leagues.”