ROME, ITALY. The Italian Cricket Federation is pleased to announce its official endorsement of Italia T10 Cricket, Italy’s first city-based franchise cricket league in the T10 format. The competition is set to usher in a new chapter in the development of cricket across the country.
Italia T10 Cricket is the brand under which the inaugural Italian league will be presented to players, partners and supporters. It is delivered by Apex T10 Ltd, a UK-based company founded by Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar for the purpose of developing cricket in associate territories through franchise competitions in the fast-paced T10 format. The Italian competition marks the first tournament to be launched under the Apex T10 banner.
The inaugural season will be held from 30 October to 7 November 2026, with all matches taking place in Rome. Six city-based franchises will compete in the tournament. The T10 format features matches of 10 overs per side lasting approximately 90 minutes.
The tournament will be streamed live to over 30 countries, giving the competition international reach from its inaugural season. The competition is being established in accordance with the International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctioning framework, with the Italian Cricket Federation coordinating the application process for ICC sanctioning.
The launch of Italia T10 Cricket comes at a particularly significant time for world cricket. With the sport set to return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028, initiatives such as Italia T10 Cricket represent an important opportunity to increase cricket’s profile in Italy, create new development pathways for players and clubs, and provide a higher standard of domestic competition.
The Commissioner of the Italian Cricket Federation, Gianfranco Ravà, welcomed the partnership:
“This is a very positive moment for Italian cricket, both for our national teams and for the continued development of the sport across the country. We are pleased to officially endorse an initiative that shares our commitment to growing cricket in Italy in a structured, professional and sustainable manner. We look forward with confidence to a long and successful partnership with Italia T10 Cricket for the benefit of the entire Italian cricket community.”
The initiative is led by Nadeem Shahid, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Italia T10 Cricket, and Aamir Akhtar, Co-Founder and Chairman.
Nadeem Shahid is a former professional cricketer with more than 20 years of first-class cricket for Essex and Surrey, as well as representing England A, he won multiple County Championships before serving as a coach with Surrey for four seasons. Alongside his cricket career, he has built business ventures across the international lottery, real estate and technology sectors.
Aamir Akhtar, a former Nepal international cricketer and founder of the Everest Premier League, has also worked closely with the Cricket Association of Nepal, contributing to the development of the country’s cricket structure and international relationships. With the official endorsement of the Italian Cricket Federation, Italia T10 Cricket aims to strengthen the Italian cricket landscape by creating new opportunities for player development, organisational excellence and increased visibility for the sport throughout the country.
