Cricket South Africa launched its new T20 Global League in London on Monday, announcing the host cities and owners of the eight teams ahead of the player draft on August 19.

The owners include film actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan, who also has a stake in the Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders, and the GMR Group, who own the Delhi Daredevils. Dubai's Suhail Abdullatif Galadari and Ajay Sethi have put UAE on the South African cricket map by purchasing teams as well.

The competition, hoping to emulate the success of competitions such as the IPL and Australia's Big Bash, is set to start in November, with the final to be played on December 16.

International buyers own three-quarters of the franchises with there also being a second IPL influence. The Delhi Daredevils' holding company GMR sports bought the Johannesburg franchise. Suhail Abdullatif Galadari and Javed Afridi (Peshawar Zalmi) - Zalmi's media partner is Khaleej Times; the team won the 2017 PSL final in Lahore - bought the Benoni franchise while the Bloemfontein franchise was taken by Hong Kong's Sushil Kumar and the Port Elizabeth team by Dubai's Ajay Sethi.

The two South African-owned franchises are based in Pretoria and Stellenbosch and run by South African businessman Osman Osman, who owns a lifestyle brand, and Brimstone, a company owned by Mushtaq Brey.

"We are certain that our final eight owners have the perfect combination of strategic insight and passion needed to make the first T20 Global League a complete success," said Cricket South Africa president Chris Nenzani. He said that the tournament would be a "win-win" situation for everyone and that there was a real possibility for it to aid economic growth in South Africa.

Teams will be hosted in eight centres around South Africa - Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch and Benoni with fixtures yet to be determined.

Marquee players already signed up include former England batsman Kevin Pietersen, current England limited overs players Eoin Morgan and Jason Roy, and ex-international Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) and Chris Gayle (West Indies).

Almost 400 players from 10 countries have confirmed their interest in being part of the draft.

Source: .khaleej Times