Excitement Builds as Six Franchisees Announced for Kerala Cricket League Launch

19 JUL 2024

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has announced the owners of the six franchises for the inaugural T20 Kerala Cricket League, set to begin on September 2. Notable figures among the franchise owners include filmmaker Priyadarshan and entrepreneurs Sohan Roy and T S Kaladharan. The matches will take place at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

The selected franchisees are S Priyadarshan Jose Patara Consortium, Sohan Roy (Aries Group), Sajad Seth (Finesses Consortium), T S Kaladharan (Console Shipping Services India Pvt Ltd), Subhash George Manuel (Enigmatic Smile Rewards Pvt Ltd) and Sanju Muhammad (EKK Infrastructure Ltd).

KCA President Jayesh George announced that the franchisees were selected through a competitive tender process, with 13 applicants initially bidded for the slots. Seven were shortlisted, and the six highest bidders were awarded the franchises. The teams will acquire players through an auction featuring registered Kerala players.

KCA Governing Council Chairman Nazir Machan highlighted that the league aims to discover and nurture new talent. KCA Secretary Vinod S Kumar added that the involvement of actor Mohanlal as the league’s brand ambassador has generated significant excitement. The league will follow the regulations of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The league will be held as per the rules and regulations of the Board of Cricket Control in India and the International Cricket Council.

Matches will be broadcast on Star Sports 2 and HD, with digital streaming options also in the works. The league will span 19 days, including two reserve days, featuring a total of 33 matches among the six teams, with only registered Kerala players eligible to participate.