Ritesh Patel Talks About Cricket’s Return to Olympics and Zim Afro T10’s Impact on Zimbabwe Cricket
Ritesh Patel, the owner of the Cape Town SAMP Army franchise in the Zim Afro T10 competition, believes that the 10-over format of cricket is perfect for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket will be making its return to the Olympics after over 128 years, having last featured in the Games in 1900. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed cricket’s inclusion at the 141st IOC Session held in Mumbai in October 2023.
Patel said, “T10 is the right format. Each game is around 80-90 minutes in length and it is perfectly fit for Olympics.”
He also discussed how the Zim Afro T10, which will start its second season on September 21, is benefiting Zimbabwe cricket by exposing local talent to a bigger stage and giving them a chance to play with international superstars. “I have seen a lot of phenomenal talent in Zimbabwe. Some of them have played for our team and are even a part of the international squad. The way cricket is being promoted there is great and the future is bright,” added Patel.
Patel emphasized the T10 format’s time-saving and entertaining nature. “T20s are a four to five-hour game. T10 is around an hour-and-a-half. People do not always have time to watch cricket and they would like to watch this. Every single delivery is valuable, be it to the batter, bowler, or a spectator. It is time-saving and entertaining,” he said.
When asked about players he would like to pick for his franchise, Patel named Indian stars Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav, England stars Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler, and South African pacer Anrich Nortje. He named Moeen Ali as the captain of his team.
The grand finale of the tournament will take place on September 29 in Harare. The T10 tournament, the first of its kind in Africa, will see all games played at the Harare Sports Club, similar to the inaugural season. The Zim Afro T10 made history in its first year by being the first tournament played under floodlights at Harare Sports Club. The T10 franchise-based league has been expanding globally, with seven seasons in Abu Dhabi and now spreading to the US, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.
Doubts Revealed
Ritesh Patel -: Ritesh Patel is a person who owns a cricket team called Cape Town SAMP Army. He is talking about cricket and its return to the Olympics.
Cricket -: Cricket is a popular sport where two teams try to score runs by hitting a ball with a bat. It is very popular in countries like India.
Olympics -: The Olympics is a big sports event where athletes from all over the world compete in different sports. It happens every four years.
Zim Afro T10 -: Zim Afro T10 is a cricket tournament in Zimbabwe where each team plays 10 overs. An over is a set of 6 balls bowled by a player.
Zimbabwe -: Zimbabwe is a country in Africa. It has its own cricket team and hosts cricket tournaments like the Zim Afro T10.
Los Angeles -: Los Angeles is a big city in the United States. The 2028 Olympics will be held there.
1900 -: The year 1900 is when cricket was last played in the Olympics. That was a very long time ago.
Harare -: Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe. The final match of the Zim Afro T10 tournament will be played there.