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Saudi Arabia’s reputation of investing in sports, as a means to repair its image in the public eye has been well-established.
The IPL 2025 Mega Auction was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (IPL Media)
Saudi Arabia’s unrelenting advent into the world of sport may see them entering the world of cricket possibly in the future as per latest reports.
Questions have arisen after Prince Saud bin Mishaal Al Saud, chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) denied reports that the nation was aiming to launch the world’s richest cricket league.
Cricbuzz reported that there were murmurs around Saudi planning on establishing their own cricketing league, but pulled out of the idea at the last moment after realising that it would have to compete with the undeterring allure of the IPL.
When conversing with Indian reporters on the sidelines of the IPL Mega Auction that had just taken place in Jeddah, the Prince denied all claims and possibilities of the SACF investing and starting a cricket league featuring international players.
“That is not correct…that is not true as well,” the Prince was quoted as saying to reporters.
Even if the rumours were to be true, it wouldn’t be surprising. Saudi Arabia’s reputation of investing in sports, as a means to repair its image in the public eye has been well-established.
Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has already demonstrated both its economic might and the scale of its ambition in Formula 1, boxing, football and golf. Indeed, it has effectively taken over the latter and there is no reason to think that a sport like cricket wouldn’t be next.
(Un)fortunately, launching a high-profile cricket league would not be possible, especially due to a recent rule introduced by the ICC that limits the number of foreign players in any franchise-based team.
This doesn’t mean that the nation has not found a way to leave their mark on cricket. Saudi oil giant, Aramco, is a sponsor of ICC events and has even participated in the IPL as an associate sponsor, while Saudi Tourism already established an association with the IPL a couple of years ago.
Although plans to organise a couple of IPL matches in the Middle East remains a hopeful possibility for Al Saud, the possibility of cricket gaining massive popularity in the desert still seems unforeseeable.
“The IPL auction is a major first step. It will help us fasttrack some of our plans. Hosting it would not have been possible without the big support from the Saudi Government and Mr. Jay Shah (the BCCI secretary),” stated Al Saud.
But, a seed for further advent into the world of cricket seems to have been possibly planted as Al Saud expounded on the plans for SACF to invest in infrastructure to attract international competition to the Middle East.
“An international standard stadium will be built here in Jeddah,” he said and indicated that the stadium would be ready by next year.
