Aug 12, 2024 - News

Dwayne Bravo, Shahid Afridi to play in cricket tournament at UT Dallas

Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi

Two cricket players, one wearing a bat and helmet — The West Indies' Dwayne Bravo (left) and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi are coming to Texas to make our nostalgic dreams come true. Photo: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images

Some of the world's top cricket players will visit North Texas in October to compete in a tournament that will test a new format of the sport.

Driving the news: The Sixty Strikes Tournament will take place Oct. 4-14 at UT Dallas, the university and National Cricket League USA announced Monday.

Why it matters: Dallas-Fort Worth has become an epicenter of cricket in the U.S. in recent years as the sport continues its expansion in the country.

"As cricket expands its global fan base, Texas will hold front-row seats to its growth across the nation," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.

State of play: Sixty Strikes will feature six teams playing an abbreviated format of cricket, with 60 balls pitched. Matches will last around 90 minutes, allowing for more action-packed games than traditional formats of cricket.

There will be around 2,040 bleacher seats and VIP tents. Organizers plan to bring in entertainers from Hollywood and India for the tournament.
Veteran players from around the world have been recruited for the tournament, including the West Indies' Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo, England's Jason Roy and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.

What's next: UT Dallas is improving its facilities, including its cricket field, to prepare for the tournament.

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Dwayne Bravo, Shahid Afridi to play in cricket tournament at UT Dallas

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