CAU Invites Applications To Acquire Franchises At Uttarakhand Premier League
New Delhi: Days after Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) announced franchise-based T20 leagues for both men and women, the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) announced the same on Wednesday. The organisers opened expressions of interest for individuals and business companies who are looking to acquire franchisees in the Uttarakhand Premiere League (UPL). This application invites business entities, individual investors to come and join hands with CAU in nurturing the development of cricket within the state of Uttarakhand.
There will be three women’s team and six men’s team participating in the league. Notably, the league will witness players who hail from the state of Uttarakhand. The allocation of the franchise teams will be facilitated by the governing council of UPL, ensuring a fair and transparent process.
The league envisions a collaborative effort wherein franchise owners actively engage in nurturing local talent and promoting the spirit of cricket across Uttarakhand. To ensure a world-class experience, the CAU has joined forces with a third party with proven expertise in organizing major cricket leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and T10.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between CAU and that concerned company and the UPL. This partnership signifies a shift towards a franchise-based model, similar to the Indian Premier League, where teams will bid to acquire talented players from a pool.
Mahim Verma, Secretary CAU said,”We are delighted that CAU is stating its own franchisee based T20 league this year. This league is sure to generate a lot of excitement and provide a platform for local talent to showcase their skills.”
Those interested in buying a franchise are requested to submit their expressions of interest to operations@uplt20.com by 6pm IST on the 10th April, 2024. The final decision-making authority lies with the governing council. The inaugural season of UPL will be held in the first week of June. The league will see a mix of local cricketers from the state of Uttarakhand and the teams will battle it out.
Earlier, the Cricket Association of Uttar Pradesh also hosted a successful season of franchise-based premier league. One of the products of the UP T20 League, Sameer Rizvi, who played for Kanpur Superstars, is currently a part of the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL 2024. His 47-ball century in one of the matches at UP T20 League actually put him on the limelight as CSK shelled out a whopping Rs 8.4 crore to secure the services of the right-handed batter.