Dubai. Zafar Shah, the chairman of the Masters Champions League (MCL) is delighted that his dream of staging a world class tournament in UAE has come true. Through a galaxy of world class cricketers he is working hard to transform this league into one among the most popular tournaments in the world.
In an interview to Gulf News, Shah talked about the impact of the event which has taken off with fanfare and the contests which is fast winning the hearts of the fans around the world.
Now that MCL has taken off has it been a very pleasing experience? Has it taken off the way you wanted it?
I am very excited and proud. The quality of cricket that the players are exhibiting is really setting an example and endorsing that the tournament is not an exhibition event. This was needed to be proved rather than anything else and hopefully from here onwards the fans around the globe will start appreciating the format of MCL and that it is a tournament for all cricketers who are coming out of their retirement to continue playing for another few years to come.
Did Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, as president of the Emirates Cricket Board, say anything in particular to you after inaugurating the tournament?
We are very thankful to him for coming for the opening of the tournament. He was very pleased as this is a tournament which belongs to Emirates Cricket Board. He is the one who approved this tournament and so wished us all the best and hopefully we will also try to help improve cricket in UAE as well. His vision is to make sure that anybody who can improve cricket in this region to come on board and help him out in the process.
Logistically how tough was it to bring all these stars under one umbrella?
It was very difficult to bring so many cricketers of this calibre under one roof as it has never happened in the past. These are all brand names, as we already know and each team has now got very competitive players. It was not easy and it took quite a bit of time but we have a good team on board right now who are really working hard day and night to prove to the management and governing councils that we are all really supporting the concept. It was all about believing in this concept and once people started believing that this is the right format then people could enjoy and have fun here and at the same time playing good cricket. Logistically, UAE is a welcoming country whether it is for holidays or for watching sports. This country has supported any kind of sports be it Golf, Formula One, Tennis and Horse racing and so we thought why not cricket too in a big way. This is what MCL is providing to the UAE.
What was your main apprehension when you started off?
The belief that it can be successful was always there. I did not do anything without the belief that it can be successful. I knew once you believe in yourself everything will become so easy. So automatically from here onwards will be the progression of this tournament. So hopefully with the help of my management team we will achieve our dream. The broadcast was very important, the quality of the broadcast is there and the players are proving themselves they are worthy of playing again.
What has been the reaction of the legends that have come here to play in this league?
They are all loving it and having lots of fun being under one roof. We have put all six teams in one hotel where they are mingling around although when they are coming to the pitch they are adversaries. They are all eager to win their matches. The only way forward is to now climb the steep hill ahead. The baby is just born so automatically the natural progression is to build from here and we need support from all over the world and the board. We need all cricket boards and International Cricket Council’s support to make it happen.
Have the players been talking about their cricketing days and sharing their nostalgic feelings?
Yes I had met few players during dinner and they were all heard sharing their experiences in international cricket. They also think it is the right time to come back into competitive matches as most had a period after retirement when they did not do anything. A cricketer will always want to come back to a cricket field and MCL is providing it to them.
What has been the response from team owners?
The team owners have realised that owning a team is very important and prestigious. From here onwards they can add more value to it and will be another business for them. Hopefully they take care of the players. I am happy to also find they are taking care of the players as they have realized the value of these players. Without players you cannot build a team.
What is the reaction of the sponsors once that it is has taken off?
The sponsors are over the moon. They have got real value for their money because the event is being telecast around the world. The matches can be seen in Europe, America, Canada, you name any country and you can watch it. Most important is the fact the tournament is being watched in India and Pakistan where the eyeballs are there. The value for money is always there so automatically they are looking at a bigger scale where they can promote their own products. I think they must be very satisfied. So hopefully in coming years there will be huge demand to sponsor this event.
What have you learnt so far and would like to add to make this event even better?
It is a very sensitive tournament and we have to take care of it and handle it with care. This is something which I have learned and still learning. The players should have good days here and we should also understand the response from the sponsors and team owners and accept that it is commercial adventure for everyone and so we must take care of all these people.
Do you have any plans to bring in more fans to the ground?
This is the first year but in future we want to fill the stadiums, which is very important. We are now looking forward to see how Sharjah will respond, as in the past it has been very easy to fill that stadium. When we come back to Dubai for the rest of our matches we will come with a definite strategy. We need to learn very fast from any of our mistakes.
Is there more demand from players wanting to play in the MCL’s coming editions?
Yes I had many requests and I have asked them to go through the same process and register themselves with FICA online and Grand Midwest online MCL platform. Then they will come through auction and we will ensure that there is no favouritism and selection will definitely be based on the skills of the players and performances.
So when you look back right now how happy are you with the boost you have received so far?
I am over the moon as no other event in the world has reached out so quickly to so many countries in the first year. Even the Indian Premier League (IPL) did not reach to so many countries like we have done in the first year. So the demand is already there and thanks to all my broadcasters for taking us on board and believing in us.
So are you feeling you are on the path to a better future?
We want to make sure that we structure this event properly and build on this foundation. My main goal is to build a proper foundation before even thinking of adding any more teams.
