The organisers of the new UAE T20 league have confirmed one of its six franchises have been acquired by the owners of Manchester United. The Premier League T20, run by the Emirates Cricket Board and due to be played in Dubai, is set to take place for the first time in February and March of 2022.A number of the franchises will be backed by Indian Premier League owners. They purchased a franchise in the six-team league through parent company Lancer Capital.
"I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation. UAE T20 promises to be a world-class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates," said Avram Glazer, chairman of Lancer Capital confirming joining the league in which Reliance Industries-owned Mumbai Indians, Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders and GMR-owned Delhi Capitals are also part of.Apart from Manchester United, Avram Glazer, who has been the co-chairman of the Premier League football team since 2005, has made investments in a variety of sports properties, including in Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. Khalid Al Zarooni, UAE T20 League chairman, said, "I am very excited to welcome Mr. Glazer to the UAE T20 Family! To have a partner who has invested in sports properties with a long-term investment perspective is a testament to the strength of the UAE T20 League's Business Model and its value proposition to its stakeholders and an ode to the UAE as the destination of choice for global sports events. "Sanctioned by Emirates Cricket Board, the six-team League is scheduled to be held in February and March. The franchise-based tournament, to be held on the lines of Indian Premier League, will have 34 matches.
