By Caroline Chepkorir

A former first-class cricketer, Haroon Lorgat is one of the most respected cricket administrators. He was the CEO of the International Cricket Council from 2008-2012. With the aim of creating cricket awareness in the US, America’s National Cricket League has appointed Haroon Lorgat as its commissioner.

During his time as CEO at the ICC, Lorgat oversaw three ICC World Cups, and he also contributed significantly in the implementation of the decision review systems and expanded the sport’s reach into associate countries. Under his leadership, the NCL will host the Sixty Strikes Tournament, a new 60-ball cricket format. The format was approved by the ICC. The tournament is set up from October 4-14 at the University of Dallas.

Lorgat was grateful for being appointed as the commissioner and highlighted the league’s dedication to having sustainable and global access as part of the strategy to restructure American sports for the next generation.

I’m privileged to take on this role with the National Cricket League at such a transformative moment. Cricket is a sport with the power to inspire new players and connect fans across the US. We’re bringing something fresh, and with our focus on sustainability and global access, we are laying the groundwork to reshape American sports for future generations,” Lorgat said in a statement.

Sri Lanka cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board consulted him, and he helped to design the Pakistan Super League. As CEO of Cricket South Africa, Lorgat restored its reputation, which earned the SA Sports Industry’s Business Leadership Award in 2016. In 2020, he was part of T10 Sports Management to promote the T10 format worldwide.

Arun Agarwal, the NCL chairman, praised Lorgat’s inspirational leadership and appreciated the league’s international prominence. He also announced a strategic alliance with Dubai-based SEE Holdings, a pioneer in innovation and sustainability.

The NCL attracted top-tier cricket talent from the world. The featured talents include the likes of Shahid Afridi, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Shakib Al Hasan, and Chris Lynn. The mentors and coaches will be legends like Zaheer Abba and Wasim Akram.

The NCL has also partnered with ESPN, Pluto TV, SKY, TNT, and For Sports to air the live coverage to global audiences. Cricket is currently one of the most watched sports in the world.