DUBAI // The organisers of the Rufi Ramadan Twenty20 Cup are encouraging the 32 teams to call on the best talent in their contacts books - even "Sachin Tendulkar, if they want to".
It is not an idle proposal - the event is very popular in the Sharjah Cricket Council calendar. The three sides who provide the majority of players for the national team, Fly Emirates, New Medical Centre and ECB Blues, are among the top seeds.
However, the main source of intrigue is which top names the sides will be able to recruit.
"I would say the standard of cricket is very high in this competition now," said Mazhar Khan, the Emirates Cricket Board administrator.
"It is an open tournament and the clubs are free to pick whichever players they want. They can call up Sachin Tendulkar, if they want to."
The Pakistan fast bowler Mohammed Sami was the top name last year, surprisingly, with the bat. His former teammate, Tauseef Umer, the opening-batsman, also played. The third edition of the event starts on Aug 30.
Meanwhile, today's Twenty20 match between England and South Africa has been rained off.
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Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
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