Page 28 - The Indian EYE 091523

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 | The Indian Eye 28

Dallas Mayor Announces

Launch of National Cricket League

and its new headquarters

Arun Agarwal, Mayor Eric Johnson and Azhar Qasmi Bollywood Actress Mallika Sherawat

OUR BUREAU 19-29 at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill,
Florida. In addition to cricket, this nine-day non-
DALLAS, TX
stop tournament will feature 30+ performances
allas Mayor Eric L. Johnson announced the from celebrities around the world.
launch of a new sports league and another In 2022, sporting events in Dallas produced
Dcricket team for the city as part of the new more than $647 million in economic impact for
venture, National Cricket League (NCL). He was the city, supported more than 4,000 jobs and gen-
joined by Azhar Qasmi, NCL CEO, Dallas business erated $16 million in local tax revenue. And more
executive Arun Agarwal who is serving as NCL major sporting events are coming soon to Dallas,
chairman and advisor, Haroon Lorgat, former chair- including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2030
man of the International Cricket Council, as well as NCAA Men’s Final Four, and the 2031 NCAA
cricketers and Lollywood and Bollywood celebri- Women’s Final Four.
ties to celebrate the impending Dallas team launch. “If you aren’t already one of the 30 million
The NCL also announced the new Dallas head- cricket enthusiasts in America, now is the time to fa-
quarters and the league’s first event, a nine-day non- miliarize yourself with the sport,” said Mayor John-
stop cricket tournament taking place in December. son. “Sports present unique opportunities to bring
The NCL is an exciting new venture that aims together people of all backgrounds under one roof.
to introduce the short, fast-paced form of cricket, They strengthen communities. They generate ex-
called “sixty strikes”, to the United States. It in- citement. And they foster civic and national pride.”
cludes six teams with international players, coach- More details about the Dallas team and stadi-
es and mentors from all over the world. Cricket is um location will be revealed in the coming weeks.
the second most popular sport in the world after The names of the six league team owners are also
soccer. In the U.S. alone, there are over 30 million forthcoming, and the drafting of players is expect-
cricket enthusiasts, with 4.4 million subscribers ed to take place in October.
paying to watch cricket on various TV channels. It 2023 Championship Trophy Unveiled The National Cricket League is an excit-
has rapidly gained popularity, especially the “sixty ing venture that aims to introduce the short and
strikes” format. the new Dallas team and stadium location will be fast-paced “sixty strikes” format of cricket to the
“It is my hope that we will be able to cheer on announced very soon. United States. “Sixty strikes” matches typically last
our city’s team in a stadium in Dallas soon. The “This will be a Dallas team. When we say Dal- around 90 minutes and are known for power hit-
National Cricket League has my full support as it las, we mean Dallas – not Arlington, not Frisco. ting and high-scoring matches. While cricket may
works to bring the first dedicated cricket stadium We’re proud to create another team to represent be new to the American audience, it is incredibly
to Dallas,” said Mayor Johnson. our city,” said Agarwal. popular in other parts of the world with 2.5 billion
The mayor and NCL leadership stressed that The first league tournament will be December global followers.

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