Man Utd co-owner Avram Glazer buys UAE T20 league franchise team

The Glazer family have owned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 1995 and Manchester United since 2005

Manchester United co-chairman Avram Glazer has bought a team in the new United Arab Emirates Twenty20 league.

Glazer, who also owns NFL Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, purchased the franchise through his private equity firm Lancer Capital.

The inaugural UAE T20 league is set to feature six teams and 34 matches, taking place in February and March next year.

"I am very excited to be a part of UAE T20 at its formation," said Glazer, 61.

"UAE T20 promises to be a world class event that will be transformative to the growth of cricket in the Emirates."

The Glazers, who took full ownership of Manchester United in 2005, in October failed with an attempt to buy a new franchise in the Indian Premier League, as the tournament expands from eight to 10 teams from 2022.

The UAE and Oman hosted the recent Men's T20 World Cup after it was moved from India because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UAE also hosted the second half of this year's IPL, the event having been postponed mid tournament earlier in the year because of a rise in Covid-19 cases among players in India.