THE DUNES T20, scheduled for October, marks Saudi Arabia’s first official foray into professional cricket and will feature active legends of the game.
The league is being organised through an agreement between the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation, entertainment company South Asian Network, and sports agencies Unique Sports and Prolithic. It is not connected to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is currently scaling back some of its overseas sporting investments, including LIV Golf.
Saudi Arabia has previously hosted the IPL auction, announced a partnership with the UAE’s ILT20 last year, and has Aramco, the state oil company, as a major ICC sponsor. The Dunes T20 is seen as an early step toward establishing a larger franchise tournament aimed at the world’s top players in the future, with prospective franchise owners being encouraged to view it as a platform for broader business engagement with Saudi Arabia.
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has been signed as an ambassador, with the 4,000-capacity Taif Cricket Ground near Jeddah earmarked as the likely venue. English players, including Alex Hales, Jason Roy, James Vince, and Moeen Ali, are among those expected to be approached. Players canvassed have reportedly indicated willingness to travel, provided tensions in the Middle East do not escalate further.
Saudi Arabia’s men’s team currently sits 32nd in the ICC’s T20 rankings. Separately, the Women’s World T20 Challenge, also planned for Saudi Arabia later this year, has been postponed to 2027 due to safety concerns linked to the conflict in Iran.
