KCA announce Kerala Cricket League T20 tournament in September

Taking cue from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other states, Kerala announced a T20 league on August 9 (Friday) at an event in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Cricket League (KCL), a six-team T20 tournament, will be played between September 2 and19 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), said in a media release. 

"Fans can look forward to two thrilling games each day, including day and night matches. The league will officially be launched by legendary actor and KCL brand ambassador Mohanlal on August 31 at noon at the Hyatt Regency," KCA stated in the release.

The auction for the tournament will be held on August 11 (Saturday) at the Hyatt Regency, Thiruvananthapuram, from 10am. India cricketer Sanju Samson unveiled the logo of the tournament on  August 9 (Friday).

The teams for the inaugural edition of the tournament include Trivandrum Royals, Kollam Sailors, Alleppey Ripples, Kochi Blue Tigers, Thrissur Titans and Calicut Globestars. The tournament will be telecast on Star Sports 1 and live streamed on Fan Code. 

P A Abdul Basit (Trivandrum Royals), Sachin Baby (Kollam Sailors), Mohammad Azharuddin (Alleppey Ripples), Basil Thampi (Kochi Blue Tigers), Vishnu Vinod (Thrissur Titans), and Rohan Kunnummal (Calicut Globestars) have been named the icon players. However, Samson was not named one of the icon players, which raises questions over his participation in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

As many as 168 players have been shortlisted for the auction, and each team can have a maximum of 20 players in their squad. The shortlisted players have been divided into three categories.

Category A: Featuring players with IPL and Ranji Trophy experience, with a base salary of INR 2 lakh.

Category B: Comprising C K Naidu, U-23, U-19 State, and U-19 Challengers players, with a base salary of INR 1 lakh. 

Category C: For U-16 state players, university players, and club cricketers, with a base salary of INR 50,000.

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.