After Indian Premier League Dhoni to Launch 7 Premier League

If the excitement offered by India's most prestigious T20 tournament was not good enough, a new seven-a-side cricket league will surely set the heart racing for the cricket fanatics across the globe.

The new corporate league - to be called 7PL - will be launched this week by a UAE-based conglomerate, the Times of India reported. The Indian skipper MS Dhoni is reported to be the chief brand ambassador of the league.

According to the report, the 7PL will not be an ICC recognized tournament but it has been approved by the ICC and the BCCI. As the name suggests, the league will witness a seven over encounter amongst the seven teams - each comprised of seven players.

The seven teams will represent the seven Emirates of the UAE including Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Qaiwain. The teams will also have players from seven nations - India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan, UK and Australia alongside the UAE.

With each country expected to be affiliated with one Emirate, the report suggest that all the cricket boards involved in the league have given their consent to 7PL.

The Indian skipper is expected to launch the league with his teammate Suresh Raina in the UAE this week. The league is reported to be a collaboration between a leading corporate from the Gulf and Rhiti Sports - the company co-owned by Dhoni's friend Arun Pandey.

The matches for the 7PL, expected to kick off in March this year, will be played in both indoor and outdoor stadiums in Dubai. The knockout matches including the quaterfinals, semifinals and the final are scheduled to be played outdoors.

The league will witness the participation of players from around the globe, but those who mainly miss out in the IPL or the Big Bash League are expected to take part.

Indian Today

Seven Star Cricket League is Coming Soon

Backed by a high-flying Indian politician closely associated with Indian cricket, a new seven-a-side corporate cricket league - to be called 7PL - is set to be launched this week. It will be bankrolled by a United Arab Emirates-based conglomerate, and if everything goes as planned, is all set to get underway this year.

India captain MS Dhoni is the chief brand ambassador of the league and the official announcement is expected in Dubai this week. 7PL, it is learnt, has the blessings of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI). However, it will not be an ICC recognized tournament, sources said.

The league - that aims to further shrink the number of overs in a game - will be played between seven teams, each representing the seven Emirates of the UAE - Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Qaiwain. The teams will have players from seven countries - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Australia, apart from the UAE. Each country is expected to be affiliated with one Emirate.

All the involved cricket boards have reportedly given their consent to 7PL. The number 'seven' happens to be significant not just because of the number of Emirates in UAE; it also happens to be Dhoni's favourite number.

Scheduled to be played from March this year, the matches will first be played in Dubai - both indoors and outdoors at its state-of-the-art cricket facility that also houses the World Cricket Academy - while the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final will be played outdoors.

Following the Dubai leg, the league is expected to move to other countries, depending on the international calendar and there are plans to hold a 7PL Champions Trophy at the end, on the lines of Twenty20 Champions League. The format, however, could not be entirely confirmed and sources in the know told TOI that more specific details are likely to emerge later this month.

Dhoni, along with teammate Suresh Raina, will be in the UAE this week to launch the league. The league will be a collaboration between a leading corporate from the Gulf and Rhiti Sports, the company co-owned by Dhoni's close friend Arun Pandey which also manages international cricketers. The politician's upcoming 24x7 sports channel is expected to exclusively broadcast the event. The details of the television deal are not yet known.

International and first class cricketers from all these countries - especially those who are not bought at the 2014 IPL player auctions as well as those who fail to grab a Twenty20 berth in Australia's Big Bash League - will primarily play in this tournament. It is learnt that the organizers will make an effort to involve marquee international cricketers too in different phases depending on their availability as the league goes on.

POWER OF 7

- 7 teams of 7 players each representing the 7 UAE Emirates
- 7 overs per innings
- Players from 7 countries to take part.

Courtesy :TOI

MS Dhoni is Now Ready To Lead 7 Overs Cricket Match

After the frenzied entertainment that Twenty20 cricket has provided over the last few years, now get ready for a seven-a-side, 7-over cricket league which will take place in the UAE — and it's brand ambassador is none other than India cricket captain MS Dhoni.

 A report on Times of India says that the league, which will be called 7PL is set to be launched this week and will be backed by a UAE based group. An Indian politician closely associated with Indian cricket, and who is set to launch a 24x7 sports channel in India will also be involved in the league — which if all goes well, will kick off in March 2014. The report says that it will not be an ICC recognised tournament but it has been approved by the ICC and the BCCI. Reuters The report says that it will not be an ICC recognised tournament.

Reuters The seven teams will represent the seven Emirates of the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Umm al-Qaiwain) and will have players from seven countries — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia and the UAE. Also, the matches will be played indoors and outdoors at Dubai's world-class cricket facility. The knockout matches will be played outdoors.

There are plans to take the league to other countries as well. Rhiti Sports is also involved in the league, which explains Dhoni's role. As for the players, those who don't get picked up in IPL or Big Bash teams are expected to take part. Click here to read the full Times of India report.

Courtesy : 1stPos