James Anderson (Photo by Reuters)
“The potential for cricket in Italy made it a big draw,” Shahid told Reuters. “One of the things that made it attractive is the Italian Olympic Committee beginning to take it seriously after it became an Olympic sport.”
The 44-year-old former England fast bowler will captain and co-own a Naples-based team in a 10-over cricket tournament. The 10-over tournament will run for 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground from November 18. James Anderson is set to continue his cricket career in Italy after Lancashire decided not to renew his contract.
Shahid said Italy’s growing interest in cricket and its inclusion in the Olympic Games made the country an attractive destination. Anderson said his team wants to compete for the title while also supporting the sport’s long-term development in the country. “Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself,” Anderson said.
Anderson will be among the biggest names taking part, alongside players such as Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan, as well as members of Italy’s national team. The competition was created by former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar, who helped establish a major cricket tournament in Nepal.