Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been announced as the next icon player of the inaugural Euro T20 Slam organised in partnership by cricket boards of Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland. The first edition of the showpiece event will be played from August 30 to September 22. 

Afridi joined the list of icon players of the tournament, already including Shane Watson from Australia, Brendon McCullum from New Zealand and Rashid Khan from Afghanistan. 

"I have enjoyed my early days in cricket playing in Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Kent. I am expecting a similar kind of surfaces and weather in Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. It is the part of the world where we won our only World T20 title. I am really excited to go out there and entertain the fans," Afridi was quoted as saying by PTI. 

There are also marquee players of the competition, with Chris Lynn from Australia, Babar Azam from Pakistan and Luke Ronchi from New Zealand featuring in that list besides JP Duminy and Imran Tahir from South Africa. The remaining two icon players and one marquee player’s names will be announced soon.

Six franchises - two each from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands - Amsterdam Kings & Rotterdam Rhinos, Glasgow Giants & Edinburgh Rocks, and Dublin Chiefs & Belfast Titans respectively, will take part in a round-robin bout before the knock-outs.