England bowling legend James Anderson is spearheading an ambitious project to bring franchise cricket to Italy, supporting the Olympic aspirations of a nation far more accustomed to football and Formula One.

Anderson, who made over 400 appearances for England across all formats and took nearly 1,000 wickets, will captain and co-own the Napoli Knights. The 44-year-old is continuing his playing career after being released by Lancashire following a 25-year spell, with his new side forming one of six franchises in the Italia T10 league.

Taking place over 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground starting on 18 November, the 10-over-a-side tournament is the brainchild of former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar, who co-founded the Everest Premier League in Nepal.

High-profile players including Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan are also set to line up, alongside members of the Italian national squad who delivered an impressive display during a narrow defeat to England at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Franchise cricket has developed into a lucrative global industry, with India’s IPL holding a brand value of more than $4bn and an overall business valuation estimated at $20.6bn, according to research by investment bank Houlihan Lokey.

Yet Shahid, 57, a five-time winner of England’s domestic first-class competition with Essex and Surrey, maintains that the Italia T10—which will also include franchises representing Rome, Venice and Milan—is focused on establishing a grassroots legacy rather than generating profit.

Speaking by phone from South Africa, where he has established property and technology businesses since retiring from cricket in 2004, Shahid explained what attracted him to the project.

"The potential for cricket in Italy made it a big draw," he said. "One of the things that made it attractive is the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) beginning to take it seriously after it became an Olympic sport. Tickets will be free for all the matches, and there will be coaching clinics on the sidelines."

Anderson’s firm, Activate Sport & Leisure, will participate in several of those clinics as Italy seeks to nurture local talent capable of competing on the Olympic stage by the 2032 Games in Brisbane.

"Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself," said Anderson.

During February's T20 World Cup, Italy’s line-up consisted largely of overseas-based players of Italian ancestry alongside European immigrants originally from South Asia.

"There's a large Indian and Sri Lankan community in Rome and no doubt they will be a huge support for our competition," added Shahid. "But we are hoping to unearth some home-grown talent as well."

Each of the six teams will feature a blend of marquee stars, established professionals and promising under-19 players, with 60 Italian cricketers competing alongside international talent.

The format has received the backing of the Italian Cricket Federation, with Shahid’s firm Apex T10 Ltd holding the exclusive franchise rights in the country for the next four years. The competition is currently awaiting sanction from the ICC, which would permit international boards to release their players.

Should the tournament succeed, Shahid plans to extend the model to other associate cricketing nations.

"Every country is slightly different; what works in Italy may not be quite right for a Spain or a Malaysia or a Singapore," he said. "But I am hoping a combination of private investment and support at a national and international level can help develop the sport in both Italy and elsewhere."