Masters Champions League
| Countries |
 United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Emirates Cricket Board |
| Format | Twenty20 |
| First tournament | 2016 |
| Tournament format | Round-robin and knockout |
| Number of teams | 6 |
| Current champion | Gemini Arabians (1st title) |
| Most runs | Kumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians) (386) |
| Most wickets | Muttiah Muralitharan (Gemini Arabians) (15) |
| Website | www.mcl2020.com |
Masters Champions League (MCL) is a Twenty20 cricket league held in the United Arab Emirates and contested by former international cricketers. The inaugural season consisting of six teams was held in January and February 2016[1] and won by the Gemini Arabians.[2] The MCL has received a 10-year approval from the Emirates Cricket Board but faced difficulties before its first season over the status of "retired" international players who were still contracted to other domestic competitions,[3] as well as delays in player payments which almost led to players abandoning the tournament mid-season.[4]
History
The tournament was announced by the league's CEO Zafar Shah in June 2015.[5] Formed by Saim Malik, Chairman of GM Sports, it is a league for retired cricketers, some of whom have never played the Twenty20 format.[6][7]
MCL has generated support in the UAE, including the official approval from the Emirates Cricket Board. The company operates under the umbrella of the Grand Midwest Group and is a promoter of sports activities in the region.[8][9]
Player auction
Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis attracted the highest bid of US $175,000 at the first player auction and joined the Libra Legends franchise. Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was the second-highest signing, purchased by the Sagittarius Soldiers for $170,000. Other players with high bids included former England captain Paul Collingwood ($140,000), Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka ($120,000), West Indies' Brian Lara ($100,000) and Brett Lee of Australia ($100,000).
Teams
| Team | Captain | Icon player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libra Legends |  Jacques Kallis |
Jacques Kallis | |
| Gemini Arabians |  Virender Sehwag |
 Kumar Sangakkara | |
| Sagittarius Strikers |  Adam Gilchrist |
Mahela Jayawardene | |
| Virgo Super Kings | Graeme Smith |
Brett Lee | |
| Capricorn Commanders |  Paul Collingwood |
Paul Collingwood | |
| Leo Lions |  Brian Lara |
Brian Lara | |
Results
| Year | Final venue | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Result | Runner-up | ||
| 2016 Details |
Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Gemini Arabians 130/7 (20 overs) |
Gemini Arabians won by 16 runs scorecard |
Leo Lions 114 (19.3 overs) |
MCL Governing Body
The MCL governing body includes 8 key people.[10]
- Sean Morris (COO)
- Allan Border
- Graham Gooch
- Zafar Shah (Chairman)
- Abdul Rahman Falaknaz (President)
- Zarah Shahh (CEO)
- Amin Farooq (Joint Secretary)
- Mohammed Raza Khan (Director)
- Ghazi Al Madani (Member)
Awards
| Year | Player of the final | Player of the tournament | Most runs | Most wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Naved-ul-Hasan (Gemini Arabians) | Kumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians) | Kumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians) (386) | Muttiah Muralitharan (Gemini Arabians) (15) |
See also
References
- ↑ "UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ↑ "Masters Champions League - Final". Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ↑ Gollapudi, Nagraj; Farooq, Umar (21 January 2016). "ICC weighs in on MCL retirement issue". ESPN cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ↑ Dobell, George (3 February 2016). "Payment agreement saves Masters Champions League". ESPN cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ↑ name=launch>"UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. ESPN. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ↑ "All you need to know about Masters Champions League (MCL) T20". One India.
- ↑ "Interview with MCL Chairman Zafar Shah: 'Players like Wasim Akram, Brian Lara and Adam Gilchrist still have a lot to give'". In.News.
- ↑ name=launch>"UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. ESPN. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ↑ "All you need to know about Masters Champions League (MCL) T20". One India.
- ↑ "MCL". www.mcl2020.com. Retrieved 2015-10-20.