Watch Masters Champions League Cricket Live Online: Streaming, Libra Legends vs. Gemini Arabians in Opener

Watch cricket history come to life live online, when the Masters Champions League begins play on Thursday with some of the greatest names in recent cricket history taking part in the new T20 tournament for retired international cricket legends. The first match features a clash of India superstar Virender Sehwag, captaining the Gemini Arabians franchise, against 2005 ICC Player of the Year Jacques Kallis of South Africa, at the helm of the Libra Legends.

Kallis, considered one of the great cricketers of all time from any country, was the most coveted player to enter the Masters Champions League auction, pulling in a top bof of $175,000 U.S., topping Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist who attracted a $170,000 price tag from the Sagittarius Soldiers.

Many of the retired players now in the Masters Champions League played little if any T20 cricket during their active careers — though several took part in the “Cricket All-Stars” tour of the United States last fall, organized by Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar. Though neither Tendulkar nor Warne are part of the MCL. The tournament will be held at three stadiums in the United Arab Emirates and consists of six teams, each playing the other once. The four top point getters after the five-game group stage schedule for each team advance to the knockout round — semifinals and championship final on February 13.

For a further introduction to the inaugural Masters Champions League, see the video below featuring interviews with many of the greatest players in cricket history explaining their participation in the MCL.

To find out how to watch the first-ever Master Champions League T20 cricket match, Libra Legends vs. Gemini Arabians, live online, see the streaming link in the final paragraph of this article. The historic game is scheduled to get underway at 7:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, January 28, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For cricket fans in the United States, that streaming start time will be 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

The Gemini Arabians were originally set to be skippered by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, but the 43-year-old “Dada” was forced to withdraw with an injury. However, Ganguly promised to stick with the team, providing support from the dugout. His withdrawal elevated Kallis to the captain’s position. Though during the Cricket All-Stars tournament in the U.S. last November, some fans complained that the quality of cricket was lackadaisical at best, players have promised that the MCL will be played all-out.

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“I think it (MCL) is a great concept. As I said before, we’ve got a mixture of older players, who haven’t been playing a lot of cricket and younger players so I think it is going to provide a lot of interest out there with the fans,” said Australian veteran Brad Hodge, who features on the Gemini Arabians squad — and played in the recently concluded Big Bash League T20 tournament in his home country.

“They (the fans) don’t want their favorite players to retire. It will be competitive out there. I am really looking forward to it,” Hogg said.

To watch the first-ever Master Champions League T20 cricket match, Libra Legends vs. Gemini Arabians, streaming live online free and legally from Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, go to ESPN3, the online-only channel in the ESPN network, which will carry the historic contest live at this link. ESPN3 will also carry a Masters Champions League match every day until the conclusion of the tournament. The streaming ESPN3 sports channel is free to customers of most major internet service providers and many minor ISPs as well. For a full list, check this link. The channel can be accessed through the WatchESPN app on mobile and set-top streaming devices as well.

[Featured Photo By Lee Warren / Gallo Images / Getty Images]