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Follow UsThe Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is all set to host the third edition of the Maharaja T20 Trophy. Six teams will fight for the championship from August 15 to September 1. The competition will showcase the best homegrown talent of Karnataka, along with a number of notable stars from the state who have represented Team India and various IPL franchises.
Big names from Karnataka, such as Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Devdutt Padikkal, and Manish Pandey, will not only participate but also lead their respective teams in the tournament.
Along with these batting stalwarts, there are some notable speedsters in Prasidh Krishna, Vidwath Kaverappa and Vyshak Vijaykumar who will be hoping to make big noise during the course of the competition.
However, apart from the usual big names, there are a lot of fresh faces who made a name for themselves in the previous edition. These players have been paid big bucks in the auction this time and have been given a far bigger responsibility by their respective teams.
Can they live up to the price tag?
LR Chethan – Bengaluru Blasters – 8.6 lakhs
- LR Chethan is the third-highest run-scorer (756 runs) in this competition's history
- He has smashed both the most boundaries (113) and most sixes (45) in Maharaja T20 League history
- His success in the first two seasons of the Maharaja Trophy led to his debut for Karnataka in Syed Mushtaq Ali 2023
Mohammed Taha – Hubli Tigers – 6.6 lakhs
- Taha has smashed the most 50+ scores (8) in this league
- He has the best balls per boundary (3.9) ratio in the competition's history
- His Player of the Tournament performance in the last edition (448 runs in 12 inns) earned him a call-up for the Karnataka team in Syed Mushtaq Ali 2023
Abhilash Shetty – Mangaluru Dragons – 6.3 lakhs
- Abhilash was the highest wicket-taker (23) in the 2023 edition
- The left-arm pacer has picked nearly 70% of his wickets (18/26) while bowling first in this competition
Luvnith Sisodia – Gulbarga Mystics – 7.2 lakhs
- Luvnith is one of the highest run scorers (697 runs) in this tournament
- He has smashed all his fifties (5) in this competition while chasing
- He is the only batter in this tournament to hit 50+ fours in the powerplay
The Karnataka U19 and U23 system has introduced many new faces to the 2024 Maharaja Trophy. We look at some of the new faces who could make a considerable impact.
New faces expected to make an impact
Hardik Raj – Shivamogga Lions
- Hardik had a breakout season in the 2023 edition of the tournament as he picked up eight wickets while maintaining a decent economy of 7.2
- He took his good form to the Vinoo Mankad Trophy 2023, picking up 16 wickets in six innings
- The 19-year-old delivered in the Cooch Behar Trophy 2024 with both bat and ball as he scored 299 runs and picked up 28 wickets
- The left-arm spinner also made his first-class debut in Ranji Trophy 2024, picking up 15 wickets in five games at an average of 30.73
Karthik SU – Mysuru Warriors
- Karthik made a huge impact in the 2023 season, scoring 159 runs in four games at an excellent strike rate of 187
- The right-handed opening batter maintained a terrific strike rate in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy 2023, scoring at an SR of 117.0 in the 50-over competition
Manvanth Kumar – Hubli Tigers
- Manvanth had a spectacular debut season in 2023 as apart from winning the trophy with Hubli Tigers, he was also the joint-highest wicket-taker, picking up 22 wickets in 12 innings
- The right-arm pacer has the best bowling strike rate (9.3) in the tournament history
- He did well in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2024, picking up 18 wickets
Samit Dravid – Mysuru Warriors
- The son of Indian great Rahul Dravid, Samit will have huge spotlight on him in the 2024 edition of the Maharaja Trophy
- The pace-bowling all-rounder earned a contract with the Mysuru Warriors after playing a key role in Karnataka U19 winning the Cooch Behar Trophy 2024. There, he scored 362 runs in 10 innings and picked up 16 wickets in eight games
Macneil Noronha – Mangaluru Dragons
- Macniel showcased his all-round skills in the 2023 edition of the event, scoring 283 runs and picking up five wickets with the ball for Gulbarga Mystics
- The right-arm middle-order batter had an outstanding season for Karnataka in the U23 tournament Col CK Nayudu Trophy, scoring 638 runs in nine games
- The 22-year-old, who also bowls off-spin, is making a return to Mangaluru Dragons after playing eight games for them in the 2022 season
Paras Gurbax Arya – Mangaluru Dragons
- Paras made a good impression in his debut season as he took 10 wickets in nine games
- The left-arm spinner registered the best figures (5/22) in the 2023 edition of the tournament
- He did well in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2024, picking up 20 wickets in five games
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