Five-year deal signed to organise T20 in Canada

Toronto, Oct 13 (UNI) The organisers of the Toronto Twenty20 competition have inked a five-year contract with Cricket Canada to organise high-profile cricket tournaments here in the summer.

The chief executive of the Dubai-based Al-Barakah Properties, Imran Khan, told reporters yesterday, ''It is a step forward in promoting cricket in Canada and we will be holding such cricket events in which the world's best teams, including Pakistan, India, South Africa or other teams are playing, depending on their availability, of course.'' Imran, who was accompanied by the chairman of Sports Marketing International, Nauman Nabi Ahmed, said, ''Canada has the potential to help in the development of cricket and the game in recent years has gained a tremendous boost here with the holding of international matches among teams like West Indies, Bermuda and Canada.

''After five regular editions of Twenty20, cricket will be at its peak here in North America and we just don't want to restrict the span of our activities here. We have some plans outlined to have similar events in other parts, including Dubai and America,'' he asserted.

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