LONDON: The Saudi Arabia Cricket Board is in advanced talks with Pakistan superstars Shahid Afridi and Inzamam Ul-Haq about the inaugural T10 cricket tournament scheduled to be held in the Kingdom later this year.
News filtered out in February that Saudi Arabia was looking to host a showpiece event of the shortest version of the game, but the head of cricket in the Kingdom has confirmed to Arab News that things have progressed so rapidly that not only is the tournament — which will carry a prize of $300,00 for the winner — is slated for December, but that crowd-pulling players and owners have already been earmarked to be involved in the proposed eight-team jamboree.
“It will be a big-money tournament,” Nadeem Nadwi, the CEO of Saudi Cricket, told Arab News.
“We would like it to be high profile and make it more attractive for the players with the prize money. We are working on the possibility of making it $300,000 for the winners and $150,000 for the runners-up.”
Pakistan crowd favorite Afridi, known as “Boom Boom,” is already being lined to play in the round-robin tournament, which will be held over a maximum of six days at the Ministry of Education Stadium in Jeddah, while the hope is to get the Punjabi Legends, the team co-owned by Inzamam, to take part.
“Afridi is a crowd-puller and we’d like to have these players playing,” Nadwi said. “We are talking to Inzamam and Shahid. It is difficult to get Indian players as they have a defined policy where they only play in the Indian Premier League. It will be mainly players from the sub-continent, but we are (also) expecting players from the UK, West Indies and South Africa.”
Six teams played in the first-ever T10 event in Sharjah in December, but the Saudi Cricket Board are seeking to go bigger and better.
“We want eight teams or a minimum of six franchises,” said Nadwi. “There would be two from Pakistan, two from India, one from Sri Lanka, one from Bangladesh, one from UAE and one from Saudi Arabia. We’re thinking of three matches a day between five to six days. We think it’s going to be a huge success.”
The Saudi Cricket Board is still awaiting official sanctioning from the International Cricket Council, but they do not anticipate that being a problem and expect to be given the green light in August. The plan is to make the tournament a regular part of the short-format circuit and stage it every year for at least the next five years.
Nadwi’s vision is such that he is clear on how he sees each team being made up and is keen for them not to just be packed with star names.
“We’d like Associate nation players to be part of the team,” he said. “We’d also like to include an U-19 player in each team and also have two Saudi players in each team. That’s going to be important to help the locals understand it and make it more attractive. We have 16-18 Saudi players shortlisted.”
Nadwi is confident the Saudi players can hold their own among such star names and established players.
“We have got some very good talent,” he said. “Other Gulf states are very dependent on their expat community but the focus here in Saudi is to take the game to the locals. We don’t want to rely on expat talent. We have good talent coming through. We had two Saudi nationals playing in the recent Asian Qualifier in Kuwait, where bar us, Bahrain, Kuwait and the Maldives, no other team had that number of locals in their team.”
Nadwi said the decision to add the cricket tournament to the Kingdom’s portfolio of sporting events is multi-layered.
“It’s the second most popular game after football, and as a T10 game lasts about the same as a football game we think the locals will be attracted to it,” he said. “This also shows the seriousness of the government to promote the game of cricket here. The UAE has staged many tournaments, but their population is very small and the stadiums are empty. We have 32 million people here and the stadium will be full with 14-15,000 fans. As part of the Kingdom 2030 Vision we also want to play at at least three World Cups before then, either ODI or T20. That is the dream and I believe it is realistic and I’m confident we will do that.”
Shahid Afridi and Inzamam Ul-Haq in talks to take new Jeddah T10 cricket tournament by storm
Shahid Afridi and Inzamam Ul-Haq in talks to take new Jeddah T10 cricket tournament by storm
- Nadeem Nadwi, the CEO of Saudi Cricket, hopes T10 tournament takes place in Jeddah in December.
- Aim is to have teams from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE and Saudi Arabia take part.
LIV Golf announces return to Korea in 2026
- Home favorites Korean Golf Club lead the field as Bryson DeChambeau and his Crushers GC team return to defend their LIV Golf Korea individual and team titles
BUSAN: LIV Golf today confirmed its return to Korea in 2026, with LIV Golf Korea set to be played at Asiad Country Club in Busan from May 28-31, 2026.
Marking a new chapter for the league in Asia, the 2026 event will introduce Asiad Country Club to the LIV Golf calendar in a multi-year agreement with the venue. Located in Korea’s second-largest city, the course has previously hosted international tournaments, including the BMW Ladies Championship and the 2002 Asian Games, and is regarded as one of the country’s finest championship venues.
Scott O’Neil, CEO of LIV Golf, said, “Bringing LIV Golf back to Korea, and to Busan for the first time, is an important next step for the league and for our fans here. The appetite for LIV Golf continues to grow, and Asiad Country Club and the city of Busan give us a venue that meets our ambitions for the event, both competitively and culturally in Korea. We’re excited to build on the momentum from our debut last season and deliver another memorable week for Korean fans.”
Fans can join the waitlist now at LIVGolf.com to secure tickets for LIV Golf Korea 2026, with hospitality and grounds pass details to be announced soon. Fans are encouraged to join the waitlist early, with limited inventory available. Premium hospitality and corporate experiences will be available for purchase, alongside specialty-priced group tickets for parties of 10 or more. Children aged 12 and under will receive complimentary Grounds Pass admission (one per paying adult).
LIV Golf made its debut in Korea in 2025, where Bryson DeChambeau claimed the individual title and led his Crushers GC to a team victory, completing a memorable double sweep. DeChambeau will return in 2026 to defend his title against a world-class field featuring many of the biggest names in the game, including former Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim, who recently beat DeChambeau and Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm in dramatic fashion to claim the LIV Golf Adelaide individual title, his first professional win in nearly 16 years.
Home attention will center on Korean Golf Club, featuring an all-Korean lineup led by captain Byeong Hun An alongside Minkyu Kim, Younghan Song and Danny Lee. Formed in 2026, the team has already found momentum both on and off the course, securing domestic partners including HANWHA PLUS and apparel partner AMAZINGCRE. Backed by strong local support, Korean Golf Club brings its own distinct brand of K-golf to the LIV Golf league, reflecting the culture, energy and growing influence of the game in Korea around the world.
An, captain of Korean Golf Club, said: “Playing LIV Golf in Korea means a great deal to all of us. Competing at home, in front of Korean fans, brings a different level of pride. As a team, we’re excited to represent Korean golf on this stage and around the world, and we’re excited to show the energy, passion and competitiveness that define the way Korean Golf Club plays the game.”
A city known for its vibrant culture, energy, and iconic coastline, Busan will host LIV Golf for the first time, again expanding the league’s reach through its 14-event calendar taking place across 10 countries and five continents.
Park Heong-joon, mayor of Busan Metropolitan City, said, “We are proud to welcome the LIV Golf League back to Korea and to host the event in Busan for the first time this May. Bringing a global sporting event of this scale to our city reflects Busan’s growing role as an international destination for sport, culture and tourism. We look forward to welcoming players, fans and visitors from around the world and showcasing the hospitality of Busan.”
As with last year’s event, which featured headline music acts including G-Dragon and IVE, the LIV Golf Korea experience will extend beyond the course, combining world-class competition with live music and unrivalled off-course entertainment. Details of the full concert and entertainment program will be announced soon.
The announcement of LIV Golf Korea 2026 marks the final event to be unveiled for LIV Golf’s 2026 season. The global golf league will host 14 events across 10 countries and five continents during the 2026 season, including its first-ever event in South Africa (March 19–22), alongside stops in Saudi Arabia, Adelaide, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Spain, the US, and the UK.
Notably, LIV Golf has already broken attendance records at LIV Golf Adelaide 2026, drawing more than 115,000 fans across the four-day tournament, including a single-day crowd exceeding 38,500 spectators, both new highs for the league and for professional golf events in Australia.
