Ice won't stop play! Cricket legends converge on Swiss Alps for unusual T20 series

Players from across the world are set to take part in the Ice Cricket series on the famous frozen lake of St Moritz, with short-form games poised to take place in successive days

^{Stars including Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis are involved in this week's ice cricket tournament}

The Swiss Alps will play host to cricketing royalty this week as legends of the game converge for an unlikely T20 spectacle.

Players from across the world are set to take part in the Ice Cricket series on the famous frozen lake of St Moritz, with short-form games poised to take place in successive days.

The likes of Virender Sehwag, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Mahela Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi are all involved, as well as former England wickekeeper Matt Prior.

The stars can expect very unfamiliar cricketing temperatures, with the mercury expected to drop below -5 degrees Celsius.

Sehwag is looking forward to the experience, however.

"I am excited to experience a different format of the game, meet old colleagues and enjoy the beauty of St Moritz," he said.

^{Ice cricket has been played in St Moritz for 25 years}

"I expect that this should be able to add another dimension to cricket and we have something new to offer to the cricketing fans across the world.

"On a serious note, I believe in playing in the moment without being bothered about anything and it doesn't change now. Conditions, pitch, outfield are all a state of mind."

When asked how he would be preparing for the event, the ex-India opener joked: "I am moving to the Himalayas for a few weeks before the tournament to acclimatise to the temperatures."

Ice cricket has been played in St Moritz for 25 years but the addition of household names is new in 2018. The venue regularly hosts other winter sport spectacles, including the eye-catching frozen lake horse racing events.

The Ice Cricket matches will be played on on an artificial turf carpet, with players kitted out in traditional cricket equipment and using and a red ball. There'll be no spikes, however, or grampons for that matter. A game will take place on both Thursday and Friday.

ICE CRICKET SQUADS

Afridi’s XI: Shahid Afridi, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Daniel Vettori, Grant Elliot, Nathan McCullum, Owais Shah, Monty Panesar, Shoaib Akthar, Abdul Razzaq, Matt Prior, Aiden Andrews (Switzerland)

Sehwag’s XI: Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar, Mike Hussey,Mohammad Kaif, Zaheer Khan, Andrew Symonds, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Lasith Malinga, Ramesh Powar,Mithan Manhas, Rohain Jain (Switzerland)