Kathmandu, August 18
Nepal’s former international cricketer and Everest Premier League (EPL) founder Aamir Akhtar and former English cricketer Nadeem Shahid are set to organise a city-based franchise T-10 cricket league in Italy.
With the official backing of the Italian Cricket Federation, the first edition of “Italia T-10 Cricket” will be held in Rome from November 7 to 15. Six city-based franchise teams will compete in the tournament.
The league will be organised through Apex T-10 Limited. The company, founded by Akhtar and Shahid, aims to develop cricket in associate nations through T-10 franchise competitions.
Since a 10-over match finishes in roughly 90 minutes, the organisers say the T-10 format is being promoted as a means of bringing cricket to new audiences. The tournament’s matches will be broadcast live in more than 30 countries.
Shahid is co-founder and chief executive officer of Apex T-10. He played first-class cricket in England for Essex and Surrey for over two decades and also represented England A.
Akhtar is a former Nepali international cricketer who played a significant role in developing franchise cricket in Nepal by establishing the Everest Premier League there. He aims to apply that same experience in Italy to develop local players and raise the standard of domestic cricket.
The Italian Cricket Federation has said it is officially backing the league and will coordinate with the ICC on the approval process. As cricket prepares to return at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, this franchise league launching in Italy is being viewed as an important initiative for the sport’s expansion there.
