James Anderson is set to continue his playing career in Italy at the age of 44. He will serve as captain and co-owner of the Napoli Knights, one of six teams competing in the Italia T10 league, following his departure from Lancashire after 25 years.
League Details and Star Players
The Italia T10 league is a 10-over-a-side competition scheduled to run over 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground beginning November 18. The tournament was established by former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid alongside Aamir Akhtar, who previously helped organize the Everest Premier League in Nepal. Other high-profile participants in the league include Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh, and Dawid Malan, alongside members of the Italian national team who recently competed against England at the T20 World Cup.
Shahid explained to Reuters that the appeal of the tournament stems from the growth potential in the country. “The potential for cricket in Italy made it a big draw,” Shahid said, adding that “One of the things that made it attractive is the Italian Olympic Committee beginning to take it seriously after it became an Olympic sport.” He also noted that match tickets will be free and sideline coaching clinics will be held.
Development Goals
Activate Sport & Leisure, a company belonging to Anderson, will participate in running the coaching clinics. These sessions aim to help Italy build a homegrown squad capable of competing at the Olympic level for the 2032 Games in Brisbane.
“Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself,” Anderson stated.
