Australia, England, India, South Africa and New Zealand have been invited to take part alongside Hong Kong at the inaugural Super Max 8s tournament at the Kowloon Cricket Club in September.
The Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) said yesterday that it had decided to forge ahead with the six-team tournament on September 26-27 despite not receiving an official endorsement from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to the HKCA, the ICC will discuss endorsement for the Super Max 8s at its next meeting in December after the new format has been tested in Kuala Lumpur, Perth and Hong Kong.
'The response of the ICC to the new format is positive and we feel the game has huge potential here in Hong Kong,' said HKCA president Terry Smith.
'A large effort is taking place behind the scenes to stage the event in Hong Kong. Negotiations are currently taking place with potential sponsors,' he added.
The HKCA decided this year to break ties with the Hong Kong Sixes and go with Super Max 8s, where teams will comprise eight players playing 10 overs per game.