India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has unveiled the logo of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) organized by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The ceremony was held at the Hyatt Regency in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, August 9.
KCA announced the launch of its very own T20 league, inspired by the success of state leagues in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Bengal. Additionally, Malayalam film icon and KCL brand ambassador Mohanlal will grace the official launch of the KCL on August 31 at the Hyatt Regency in Thiruvananthapuram.
“Fans can look forward to two thrilling games each day, including day and night matches. The league will officially be launched by the legendary actor and KCL brand ambassador, Mohanlal, on 31st August 2024, at noon at the Hyatt Regency,” KCA said in an official statement as reported by IANS.
Speaking at the event, Samson said that KCL has the potential to enhance Kerala’s prominence on the national stage. The wicketkeeper-batter also emphasized the role of the league in strengthening Kerala’s representation in tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he is also a participant.
“This platform is a crucial step towards achieving our goal of increasing Kerala’s representation in major tournaments like the IPL. Currently, we have seven-eight players in the IPL, and I hope to see 5-10 more in the future,” Samson said.
The player auction of the KCL will be held on Sunday, August 10, and will be streamed live on Star Sports 3 and available on FanCode. According to KCA, 168 cricketers have been shortlisted for the auction, with each of the six teams expected to sign 20 players each.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from September 2-19 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Notably, two matches are scheduled to be held daily, including both day and night games.
Icon players for the inaugural edition of the KCL: P.A. Abdul Basit with the Trivandrum Royals, Sachin Baby with the Kollam Sailors, Mohammad Azharuddin with the Alleppey Ripples, Basil Thampi with the Kochi Blue Tigers, Vishnu Vinod with the Thrissur Titans, and Rohan S. Kunnammal with the Calicut Globestars.
The Kerala Cricket League player auction will be designed into three categories:
- Category A: Players with experience in the IPL or Ranji Trophy, with a base salary set at INR 2 lakh.
- Category B: Players from the CK Naidu, U-23, U-19 State, and U-19 Challengers levels, with a base salary of INR 1 lakh.
- Category C: U-16 state players, university players, and club cricketers, with a base salary of INR 50,000.
