Anil, Sehwag for HK Sixes

Anil Kumble may have quit one-day cricket after India’s early exit at the World Cup earlier this year, but he is game for a new format...

Anil Kumble may have quit one-day cricket after India’s early exit at the World Cup earlier this year, but he is game for a new format — the Hong Kong Sixes.

India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests with a century to boot — Kumble scored his first ton last month in England — was one of the four stars, whose names were unveiled at the official launch of the Cathay Pacific Standard Chartered Hong Kong Sixes tournament.

Hong Kong’s annual carnival of elite cricket, first played in 1992 and famed for its frenetic pace and high-scoring action, will be played at the Kowloon Cricket Club between October 27 and 28. The total prize money for the two-day event is $285,000.

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The other attraction this year at the event will be India’s hard-hitting Virender Sehwag, who is already on way to South Africa to do national duty at the Twenty20 World Cup, beginning September 11. The other two names that was revealed were Shahid Afridi and Heath Streak.

Kumble, who has 566 Test scalps in his long career, was instrumental in India’s Test series win over England last month. He has, however, announced his retirement from one-day cricket.

The draw, which was held on Thursday has put India in the ‘Bradman’ group alongside England and New Zealand. The ‘Sobers’ group includes South Africa, West Indies, Australia and the All Star Team, while the third group, ‘Cowdrey’, shall have hosts Hong Kong, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.