Asia Lions, World Giants and India Maharajas on Wednesday (March 1) announced Shahid Afridi, Aaron Finch and Gautam Gambhir, respectively as the captains of the three teams. The LLC 2023 season is set to begin from March 10 to March 20 at the Asian Town Cricket Stadium, Doha, Qatar.


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Key names from the world of cricket, like Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth, Robin Uthappa, Aaron Finch, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, and Brett Lee, amongst others, have already confirmed to play at the LLC Masters. The 10-day tournament is slated to give the people of Doha and viewers from across the world a chance to witness their favourite legends go head-to-head. (Read: Legends League Cricket (LLC Masters) Announce Full Schedule: Check Dates, Time, Venue)


The Asia Lions will be led by Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, one of the fiercest limited-overs batsmen of all time. It will be Shahid Afridi’s first appearance at the LLC Masters, and while speaking about his leadership role, Afridi said, "It is a matter of honour for me to be able to lead a team with such great players in it. I am extremely happy to play alongside my old teammates like Shoaib, Hafeez, and Razzaq; it is almost like turning back time. Across all three teams, we have shared moments of rivalry, friendship, and some really big matches. I am glad that I am getting another chance to entertain cricket lovers across the world at LLC Masters”


On the other hand, the World Giants will be led by the youngest of the three captains, Aaron Finch. The former limited-overs captain for Australia is all set to light up the stage with his big hitting.


"LLC Masters is a unique concept, and being able to play in this tournament doesn’t only fill me with excitement but also brings back the nostalgia of seeing some of the greats of the game in action. I am surely cherishing this opportunity. Furthermore, having Shane Watson and Brett Lee by my side only adds to the enthusiasm, and I am eagerly looking forward to the first game," added Finch.


Lastly, India Maharajas will be led by one of India’s most successful opening batsmen across all three formats and a world cup winner in both ODI and T20I – Gautam Gambhir, who has also joined the 2023 LLC Masters bandwagon.


Commenting on the occasion, Gambhir said, "I have been a part of the LLC family before, and it is always a pleasure to be part of such an interesting tournament. It not only gives us the chance to be back on the pitch in a competitive match but also provides us with the opportunity to relive old rivalries and friendships. I have played with all my team members at India Maharajas while on the Indian team and the domestic circuit. As a leader of the team, I can assure the fans that we will put on a great show.”