Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 14 (ANI): The International Masters League (IML) 2025 is set to bring an electrifying wave of nostalgia and excitement as it unveils the India Masters and Sri Lanka Masters squads, both of whom comprise cricketing greats who once dominated and decorated the international stage. With the tournament scheduled from February 22 to March 16, 2025, fans will witness the revival of cricket’s golden era.
Indian cricket fans are in for a treat as Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar returns to lead the India Masters. The squad is a formidable mix of elegance, power, and match-winning prowess, featuring some of the most celebrated names of the 2000s and 2010s. Batting brilliance returns with Yuvraj Singh, the hero of the T20 World Cup in 2007 and fifty-over World Cup in 2011, alongside Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu, who thrilled fans with their fearless stroke-play. The Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf, will display their explosive all-round skills, while Naman Ojha will take charge behind the stumps, as per a press release from IML.
The bowling attack comprises seasoned match-winners, with Vinay Kumar and Dhawal Kulkarni leading the pace attack. Players like Stuart Binny, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Sharma, Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, and Abhimanyu Mithun make this a well-rounded squad, which is ready to reignite past rivalries and produce exhilarating cricket.
Speaking about playing in the inaugural edition of the International Masters League, Irfan Pathan said, “The International Masters League is a tournament that pays tribute to cricket’s golden age. I am thrilled to represent India Masters in Season 1 of the league, and play alongside Sachin Tendulkar, the maestro, and other colleagues, with whom I shared many happy and precious moments in the past. We are hosting the IML, but I can assure cricket fans that we will not be generous on the field. We will produce tough cricket and do our best to win the title.”
Yusuf Pathan added: “Irfan and I were members of the Indian team that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Memories of that tournament will be rekindled in the days and weeks to follow, as we will take the field for India Masters in the inaugural season of the International Masters League. As had been the case in 2007, we will give it everything on the field and do whatever we can to win the tournament.”
The Sri Lanka Masters, led by Kumar Sangakkara, promise a masterclass in skill and experience. An ambassador of the game, Sangakkara was a two-time fifty-over World Cup finalist in 2007 and 2011 respectively, and a T20 World Cup winner in 2014. He will be joined by Romesh Kaluwitharana, the swashbuckling opener-keeper from Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning squad.
The batting line-up features Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne, and Chinthaka Jayasinghe, known for their reliability under pressure. Ashan Priyanjan and Asela Gunaratne bring in stability, while the bowling attack is spearheaded by pacers Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, and Dhammika Prasad. All-round firepower comes from Seekkuge Prasanna, Jeevan Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Chaturanga de Silva, and Isuru Udana, making Sri Lanka a well-balanced force in IML 2025.
The IML is a celebration of cricket’s greatest icons, bringing Masters from India, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa back onto the field. The league is set to unveil the squads of the rest of the teams in the coming days. (ANI)
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