Legendary England pacer James Anderson is set to continue his professional playing career after being named both the co-owner and captain of the Napoli Knights – one of the six teams in the inaugural Italia T10 League.
This milestone move comes right on the heels of Lancashire's decision not to renew the 44-year-old’s contract, bringing a sudden end to his legendary 25-year association with the English county side.
Anderson has teamed up with his former Lancashire teammate Luke Sutton to lead the Naples-based franchise. The team will operate under Sutton's agency, Activate Sport & Leisure.
The Italia T10 League, slated to run from November 18 to 29, 2026 at the Roma Cricket Ground, offers England's all-time leading wicket-taker an opportunity to remain involved in the game while helping develop cricket in a country where the sport is still growing.
"Cricket has given me so much throughout my career, and the opportunity to be involved in the game in a completely different way is something I'm really excited about," Anderson said in a statement.
"Luke and I have a close history, so to be taking on this new challenge together is particularly special. The Italia T10 is an exciting concept, and there's a huge opportunity to help raise the profile of cricket in Italy while bringing together some fantastic players and creating an entertaining tournament."
Organized by former county cricketer Nadeem Shahid, the tournament will also feature major international stars like Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh, and Dawid Malan.
"I played against Jimmy and Luke enough times to know how competitive they are, so having them as owners of the Napoli Knights is a massive statement for Italia T10," Shahid said.
"Three Englishmen from the county circuit now helping build cricket in Italy. It feels great to give back to the game. Welcome aboard, lads."
Earlier this year, Italy defeated Nepal by 10 wickets in a group-stage match of the T20 World Cup and narrowly lost to England. Sutton said the project marks a significant step for Italian cricket.
"For Activate Sport & Leisure, this is about much more than owning a cricket franchise. We want to use our experience in sports development, together with our established relationships with schools and clubs in England, to help create a lasting legacy for cricket in Italy," he said.
