Actor, director and co-owner of Maratha Arabians Sohail Khan launched his team Maratha Arabian’s jersey for the upcoming T10 cricket league along with former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag on Thursday in Mumbai. During media interaction, Sohail said that Cricket is the only sport that has evolved over the years and that’s the reason it has been so popular till now and the topmost sport of our country.
Talking about the new format of T10 cricket league, Sohail said, “I think cricket is the only game that has evolved so much that’s why it’s one of the topmost sport of our country and that has kept its life going. Cricket has evolved in terms of its format, firstly there was five-day test match then a one day match and nowadays, T20 match so it just keeping the interest of the audience.”
“No offense to football or hockey but there are times when no goal has been shot or its one all. When audience comes to stadium, most of the times, they see great cricket, on the other hand, if you see football game then sometimes there is no result in it so that’s the big difference in terms keeping audience engaged when they watch a sport”
“When this T10 cricket league approached me, I was already on because I love this sport and it’s no-brainer because it something that’s going to be delightful, fun and festive so when I told my son about this he said its superb and its going to be mad riot so when you hear things like this you realize its going to be big success”
When asked what is his feeling to be associated with Virender Sehwag for his team ‘Maratha Arabians’, he said, “I am a big fan of Viru paji. How much you see him playing cricket and the legend he has been but more than that he is fantastic human being. He is such a nice guy to approach and have chat with. His love for cricket is something else similarly, we choose our profession much later but we grow up as kids who wanted to play some kind of sports. For us, every athlete and sportsman, we all look up to them so whenever I meet Viru paji, I get smile on my face and I am glad that we will work on this team together and it’s my privilege and honor to be part of the same process”
When asked Sohail whether he is going to give any pep talk to his team and Virender Sehwag, Sohail said, “No.. Viru Paji is a pro at this but I feel if any team plays with their potential on that day so ay team can win and this format can have lot of upsets. If you lose early wickets then it restricts the batsman and it builds pressure on them so let’s see, I think its great format, there is going to burst of energy, talent in very short time so I am full geared for this”
When asked Sohail whether he is going to associate himself with sports in future as well, he said, “Anyone who comes to do any kind of business or work with me when I tell them that I can do only two things in my life that is making movies and be involved in sports because I am very interested in sports. We have liked cricket all our life. I remember, the first time, I went to stadium, I was in awe of how when I entered a film set so only these two things will keep happening in my life because if feel if you are interested in something then you get more involved in it and if you love what you do when you feel happy with it”
Former Test batsman Virender Sehwag on Thursday backed the inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games and felt the T10 format will be ideal to be drafted into the quadrennial sports extravaganza.
“I think (if) we are talking about (the fact) that cricket should be a part of the Olympics, I think T10 is the right format. Because it gets over in 90 minutes and it’s like a football match and a result will come. So I think, this is the right format, if ICC is thinking about talking to the (International) Olympic Association (Committee) that cricket should be part of that (the Olympics),”
Sehwag will be captaining ‘Maratha Arabians’ team, which will feature in the T10 Cricket League to be played from December 14-17 in the United Arab Emirates.
He leads a squad which features former Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan players Mohammed Amir and Kamran Akmal.
