Pictured from left to right: Arvind Tadakamalla of Livewires Advertising, Aamir Akhtar, chairman and co-founder of Italia T10 Cricket, and TNR Mohit at the Venice Livewires franchise signing ceremony in Hyderabad ahead of the inaugural season in Rome.

Livewires Sporting Venture has acquired the Venice Livewires franchise ahead of the inaugural Italia T10 Cricket season, scheduled to take place in Rome from Nov. 18 to 29, 2026.

The acquisition was formalized at a signing ceremony in Hyderabad, attended by Arvind Tadakamalla, managing director of Livewires Advertising Private Limited; former India cricketer MSK Prasad, who will serve as team director of Venice Livewires; professional cricketer TNR Mohit; and Aamir Akhtar, chairman and co-founder of Italia T10 Cricket.

The agreement marks Livewires Sporting Venture's entry into international franchise cricket and establishes its involvement in the new Italian competition, which will feature six city-based teams competing in the 10-over format.

Venice Livewires will represent Venice in the league's inaugural season, joining five other franchises in a tournament aimed at expanding the domestic cricket landscape in Italy through a franchise-based competition.

Prasad's appointment as team director brings former international playing experience to the Venice franchise. His role will involve working with the team as it prepares for its debut season, although further details about the squad, coaching staff and player recruitment have not been announced.

The acquisition brings together the Livewires business group's commercial interests and the league's plans to establish a franchise competition in Italy. The signing ceremony formalized the partnership between the franchise owner and the league ahead of the November tournament.

Endorsed by the Italian Cricket Federation, Italia T10 will feature six city-based franchises, three of which have already been secured. The interest generated by the league’s announcement has strengthened the organizers’ confidence in its international prospects, with the Middle East identified as a potential focus for future engagement.

The addition of Venice Livewires represents another step in the league's preparations for its first season. However, details regarding the complete list of participating franchises, player rosters, match schedule and tournament arrangements remain to be confirmed.

T10 cricket, played over 10 overs per side, offers a shorter alternative to traditional limited-overs formats and is designed to produce results within a condensed playing window. The format has been adopted by several franchise competitions internationally, with organizers seeking to attract audiences through shorter matches.

For Livewires Sporting Venture, the acquisition provides an opportunity to enter the international cricket market through a team based in Venice. For Italia T10 Cricket, securing franchise ownership ahead of the opening season is part of the process of putting its six-team competition in place.

Venice Livewires are now set to make their competitive debut when the inaugural Italia T10 Cricket season begins in Rome on Nov. 18, 2026.