The Nine Network has added to its summer of cricket lineup by acquiring the rights to broadcast the inaugural Cricket All-Stars tournament featuring two of the greatest legends of the game, Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar.

The competition will be played in the United States and broadcast into Australian homes on November 8, 12 and 15.

 

Australian spinner Shane Warne and Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar will each captain a hand-picked team: Warne’s Warriors and Sachin’s Blasters, who will clash in a three-game T20 series in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles.

Warne and Tendulkar will be joined on the tour by famous Test players from eight nations, including:

RICKY PONTING (Australia), MATTHEW HAYDEN (Australia), ANDREW SYMONDS (Australia), GLENN McGRATH (Australia), BRIAN LARA (West Indies), COURTNEY WALSH (West Indies), CURTLY AMBROSE (West Indies), MUTTIAH MURALITHARAN (Sri Lanka), WASIM AKRAM (Pakistan), JONTY RHODES (South Africa), MICHAEL VAUGHAN (England), SOURAV GANGULY (India), V. V. S. LAXMAN (India), SHAUN POLLOCK (South Africa) and DANIEL VETTORI (New Zealand).

 

 

Shane Warne said: “We’ve signed all the top players you’d ever want to see. I’m excited for cricket fans in the United States to be able to see these amazing players for the first time, and I also think the T20 format will appeal to new audiences who have never seen or played cricket before. 

“I’m really looking forward to the matches in November and helping to grow the sport of cricket in America.”

 

 

“In modern cricket there are no bigger names than Warne and Tendulkar,” said Steve Crawley, Head of Sport for the Nine Network. “Working with them to bring this three-match series into the homes of all Australians is an exciting prospect. Never before has cricket been played like this in the United States, and as the home of cricket, Nine will be there for every entertaining moment.”

“Americans are so passionate about sport, and I think there’s a huge potential for cricket to take off,” said Sachin Tendulkar. “This is the first time that international cricket will be played in these beautiful baseball stadiums in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles, which will be a lot of fun.

“We’re also planning some other events and festivities in each city so we can reach as many fans as possible. It would be great some day to see cricket bats right alongside the baseball bats, basketballs and soccer balls in America.”

 

Games will be broadcast as follows:

Sunday, November 8 at 4.00am – LIVE on GEM from Citi Field in New York City
Thursday, November 12 at 12.00pm – LIVE on GEM from Minute Maid Park in Houston
Sunday, November 15 at 8.00pm – on NINE from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles

The Cricket All-Stars series will also be streamed through the Cricket Australia Live app.