After spending billions on football and boxing, Riyadh has paying an interest in cricket, while Saudi Pro League clubs scored wins in the AFC Champions League.
Saudi Arabia has joined Gulf neighbours the UAE and Oman in the cricket world, with an announcement it will host India’s IPL auction next year.
Meanwhile, Saudi teams won both their games in the AFC Champions League this week thanks to two goals each from Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo, while in England, Egyptian King Mo Salah is mulling his future at Liverpool.
Saudi Arabia enters cricket world with IPL auction
After spending billions on the Saudi Pro League, Riyadh is now venturing into the world’s second-most watched sport – cricket.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the Champions League and Premier League combined of cricket, bringing in the world’s biggest cricket stars for the two-month tournament.
Its franchise format and Bollywood-style glamour is probably best represented by the IPL players’ auction, when teams bid for stars during the glitzy event and is watched by millions in India. Last season, Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Starc became the IPL’s most expensive player when he signed for Kolkota Knights for $3 million.
Next year, Jeddah will host the two-day auction, which will not only be watched by cricket fans in India but also the Gulf’s huge South Asian expatriate population in Saudi Arabia’s first major foray into cricket.
The experiment reflects the Gulf’s general political pivot toward South Asia – particularly India – recognising the region’s economic and strategic potential.
Pakistan Super League games were held in the UAE between 2016 and 2019 and again in 2021, while the Gulf state and its neighbour Oman hosted the 2021 World Cup.
Both countries have also become regular fixtures at T20 and One Day World Cups, with cricket boards ramping up spending to promote their national sides.
In 2022, it was agreed that the UAE would host Afghanistan’s home games for the next five seasons following the Taliban takeover, while the Gulf state will also hold the third International League T20 league in January.
This has courted controversy as Sam Billings will play in the tournament despite it clashing with England’s test series against India.
It was also announced this week that the UAE would host the Champions Trophy final and semi-final, after India reportedly refused to travel to Pakistan, the current holders of the cup.
Toney and Ronaldo bag doubles in AFC Champions League
Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo helped their respective Saudi clubs progress in the AFC Champions League this week by bagging two goals each.
Toney secured a place for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in the last-16 with a 2-1 win over Al-Ain in Abu Dhabi, with the UAE side bottom of the group.
Toney signed for Al-Ahli from Brentford in the summer for £40 million, one of the biggest transfer fees paid by any Saudi Pro League club, although he has not been picked for the England squad since the move.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, also bagged two goals in Al-Nassr’s 3-1 win against Qatari side Al-Gharafa in the AFC Champions League.
Over 37,000 spectators packed the Thani bin Jassim Stadium in Doha, many of them there to see Ronaldo, arguably the world’s greatest-ever player and a catalyst for a football revolution in Saudi Arabia.
The display even won the attention of Elon Musk, who tweeted a message on X.
“Congrats!” Musk responded to a Ronaldo tweet on the Al-Nassr win.
Ronaldo responded with the cheeky message: “Glad your eyes have time for good ‘soccer'”
Salah future at Liverpool still uncertain
Super striker Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool remains uncertain after the Egyptian said he is “more out than in”, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season.
Salah, who is on stellar form so far in the Premier League season, said he is yet to be offered a contract with the Merseyside club, in a post-match interview over the weekend.
Salah has scored 10 goals in his first 12 games of the season and has also provided six assists and Liverpool sit comfortably atop of the Premier League table.
“We are almost in December, and I haven’t received any offers yet to stay in the club,” the 32-year-old told media following Liverpool’s win against Southampton.
“You know I have been at the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands.”
Salah expressed his disappointment with the situation but stressed the decision is out of hands.
However, reports have emerged that Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, has held “positive talks” regarding his client’s contract extension at Liverpool.
Salah’s sentiment echoes his words in September, when he revealed that he had not been offered a new contract for Liverpool, where he has played for eight consecutive seasons and ranks among the club’s best-ever players.
His manager, Dutchman Arne Slot, said this week: “The only thing I can say is that if I look at my line-ups Mo (Salah) is more in than out.”
Liverpool will next face Manchester City in the Premier League, set to be played on Sunday.
