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Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar will be seen on the cricket field yet again in the inaugural edition of International Masters League (IML), a six-team T20 event that will take place later in the year across three venues. The tournament has been conceptualized by Tendulkar and another Indian batting legend, Sunil Gavaskar, who will also be commissioner of IML.
Tendulkar (51) was last seen on the cricket field during the Road Safety World Series in Raipur 2022. The Master Blaster was the captain of the side that beat Sri Lanka Legends by 33 runs in the final.
As per a report in news agency PTI, the IML will comprise of players from India, Australia, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka and West Indies. The matches are set to be played in Mumbai, Lucknow and Raipur. The report quoted an official press release as stating:
"Tendulkar and Gavaskar will collaborate with PMG Sports and SPORTFIVE, a sports marketing company, in establishing another company in India to stage the league."
Sharing his thoughts on the International Masters League, Tendulkar commented:
“In the last decade, T20 cricket has accelerated its adoption, and has drawn new fans into the game. There is now a strong desire among fans across ages, to re-witness age-old battles in newer formats.
“Sportspersons never retire at heart and the competitive streak within waits for an opportunity to get back on the field. We have conceived the International Masters League as a meeting point of passionate fans and competitive cricketers,” he went on to add.
According to Gavaskar, the International Masters League will bring fans closer to the legends whom they have admired for years. He further pointed out that viewers will also get another chance to watch their cricketing heroes live in action again.
Tendulkar and Gavaskar's legendary stats
Tendulkar is the all-time leading run-getter in international cricket. In 664 matches (782 innings) across the three formats of the game, he has amassed 34,357 runs at an average of 48.52, with 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries. The former India captain scored 15,921 in 200 Tests and 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.
Looking at Gavaskar's numbers, he played 125 Test matches and notched up 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12, with 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries. In ODIs, he played 108 matches and scored 3,092 runs, averaging 35.13 with one hundred and 27 fifties.
