Five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians are becoming a global franchise having owned teams in the South Africa and UAE T20 Leagues. The Mumbai-based franchise has now revealed the names of the teams that will take part in these leagues. While the Mumbai Indians-owned team in the South Africa league will be called "MI Cape Town", the side that will take part in the UAE T20 League will be known as "MI Emirates."
The same has been confirmed by Reliance Industries, the owner of the Mumbai Indians franchise on Wednesday. Nita Ambani, Director of Reliance Industries, shared her feelings as she welcomes MI Emirates and MI Cape Town to "One Family."
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome ‘MI Emirates’ & ‘MI Cape Town’, the newest additions to our #Onefamily. For us, MI goes beyond cricket. It embodies the ability to dream, be fearless and foster a positive attitude in life. I am sure that both the MI Emirates and MI Cape Town will embrace the same ethos and take MI’s global cricket legacy to even greater heights,” Nita Ambani said in an official statement quoted on the Mumbai Indians website.
Notably, the IPL franchises acquired each of the five franchises in Cricket South Africa's new T20 League. Ever since this development, there has been a growing concern about the hegemony of IPL in world cricket. Former India opener Aakash Chopra has also said that while Pakistan cricketers are not allowed in IPL, they will be allowed in these leagues coming up, implying that Indian employers will hire Pakistan cricketers.
“Pakistani players are banned in the IPL, but they play in all the other T20 leagues. So since Indian franchise owners have bought teams in other leagues, they will be hiring Pakistan players as well. This is also going to happen. So, Pakistani players are soon going to play for Indian employers once again,” Chopra said in a video uploaded on his Youtube channel.
