Emirates is to continue its support of the Arabian Cricket Challenge (ARCH) as the organisers embrace the thrilling Twenty20 format which has captivated cricket fans around the world.

And, in addition to the stars of the English County game which will be featuring for a third time, spectators will get to see some of the best emerging talent from the Indian Premier League.

Kings XI Punjab – the IPL team which Emirates is the title sponsor of - will be sending the squad members earmarked to follow in the footsteps of star players like Yuvraj Singh, Brett Lee, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakarra.

To signal the change in format after two years as a 50-over tournament, the event has been renamed the Emirates Airline Twenty20 and will also have a new home – 7he Sevens, Emirates’ dedicated sporting facility, which is set unveil cricket pitches and a pavilion in the New Year.

The young stars of Kings XI Punjab face a stern test, with England’s Twenty20 Cup holders and NatWest Pro40 champions Sussex CCC – who feature England players Luke Wright, Ed Joyce and James Kirtley – heading up the four-team event on 19th and 20th March.

Fellow England stars Mark Ramprakash and Steven Davies are also expected be taking part, playing for Surrey CCC, while the line-up is completed with a Fly Emirates XI made up of talented employees who juggle cricket with busy work schedules at the Emirates Group.

The two days of swashbuckling cricket – scheduled to be broadcast worldwide - will be supported by a number of other activities as part of a cricket carnival, which the organisers hope will help the event become an integral part of the sporting and social calendar of Dubai.

Tournament director and ARCH founder Matthew Jackson said: “With an IPL side involved, we are excited that in 2010 we now have truly international competition. We hope the Emirates Airline Twenty20 will grow quickly to become a similar event in size and style to the highly successful Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens.

“The development of grassroots cricket is a key objective and in addition to the Emirates Airline Twenty20, we will also be running the Emirates Airline ARCH Trophy for schools, which will feature under-19 pupils from the UAE, New Zealand and the UK.

“County sides love coming to Dubai to prepare for their domestic campaigns and we will continue to support them through the Emirates Airline Forty40, which Surrey and Sussex – along with two other professional clubs – will contest in the week following the Twenty20 event.

Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline & Group, is an ardent cricket fan and is delighted that the airline is involved with the event again.

He said: “We are proud to be part of an event which will showcase the style of cricket that is winning over a new generation of followers. Emirates is committed to the growth of cricket - both in the UAE and around the world - and, of course, it is a wonderful opportunity for our team to learn from top-class professionals.”

Kings XI Punjab are also pleased to be involved in the tournament, which will give their fans in Dubai the chance to get a glimpse of the next generation of IPL stars.

Anil Srivatsa, the franchise’s CEO, said: “We are committed to supporting the sport of cricket and promoting it worldwide by creating opportunities for Kings XI Punjab fans all over the world to experience their favourite team. This is the first of many such ways to reach out to the fans, and Kings XI Punjab is looking forward to playing in the inaugural Emirates Airline Twenty20.”