Chandigarh, August 9: Punjab is set to launch its own T20 league, modeled after the Indian Premier League (IPL). Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann unveiled the ‘Sher-e-Punjab T20 League’ on Saturday. The league will feature six franchise teams and star cricketers from Punjab, including Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh.
The league will take place from August 30 to September 13 at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali. An auction for players will be held today, with over 450 participants expected. The tournament will follow a round-robin format, where each team will play eight league matches.
Chief Minister Mann emphasized that Punjab has always produced talented players and that the state government is committed to connecting youth with sports and strengthening the sports sector. He also highlighted the role of sports as a key weapon in the campaign against drug abuse.
Referring to the league as ‘Punjab’s own IPL,’ Mann stated, “In a meeting with representatives from the Punjab Cricket Association and national-level players, it was decided that there will be six franchise teams in the league. Indian cricket team captain Shubman Gill will represent Fazilka Falcons, Arshdeep Singh will play for Ludhiana Lions, Abhishek Sharma for Amritsar Surmaaz, Prabhsimran Singh for Jalandhar Warriors, Ramandeep Singh for Mohali Kings, and Gurnoor Barar for Bathinda Royals. Players who have brought glory to India will enhance the prestige of this tournament. The league will run from August 30 to September 13, with all matches held at the PCA Cricket Stadium in Mohali.”
The Chief Minister also noted that Punjab remains the backbone of the Indian cricket team, with 21 players currently participating in the IPL. He remarked, “All of them will be the main attractions of Punjab’s own league. All players participating in the Punjab Cricket League will be from Punjab.”
CM Mann revealed that a pool of over 450 players has been prepared for the auction today. Notable names among these players include Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Naman Dheer, Vihaan Malhotra, Imanjot Singh Chahal, Ashwani Kumar, and Krish Bhagat.
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