Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The third edition of the Madhya Pradesh Premier League is set to begin in Indore on June 3. For the first time, the city will host this T20-format tournament; however, it is the first time that the matches will be played in Indore.
Following the success of the previous two seasons, this league has now emerged as a major platform for Madhya Pradesh cricket, serving as a springboard from which several players have gone on to make their way to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
First Match: Gwalior Cheetahs Face Off Against Ujjain Falcons Today
The tournament's opening match will be played this evening at 7:30 PM between the Gwalior Cheetahs and the Ujjain Falcons.
Following this, starting June 4th, the schedule will feature two to three matches daily.
The MPL auction also generated considerable buzz this time around. Many players who earned crores of rupees in IPL were reduced to lakhs here, while some young players surprised everyone.
All eyes were on Indore's fast bowler, Avesh Khan; however, due to budget constraints, the Chambal Ghariyals acquired him for ₹8.20 lakhs.
Avesh fetched ₹9.75 crores in the IPL; a significantly higher bid was widely anticipated for him in this auction.
Highest Bid Of MPL
Ashutosh Sharma, starting from a base price of ₹3 lakhs, the bidding escalated to ₹15 lakhs, and the Malwa Stallions successfully secured him for their squad.
The 10 Teams Participating in the MPL
Indore Pink Panthers
Bhopal Leopards
Bundelkhand Bulls
Chambal Ghariyals
Gwalior Cheetahs
Jabalpur Royal Lions
Rewa Jaguars
Malwa Stallions
Ujjain Falcons
Royal Nimar Eagles
Players to Watch Out For
This season, the spotlight will be firmly fixed on several star players participating in the tournament. These include players such as Rajat Patidar, Avesh Khan, Arshad Khan, Aniket Verma, Madhav Tiwari, Kumar Kartikeya, Kulwant Khejroliya, Saumy Pandey, Shivang Kumar, Ashutosh Sharma, Rishabh Chauhan, and Sagar Solanki.
11 Players Have Played in the IPL
Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh Iyer, and Mangesh Yadav played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Avesh Khan and Akshat Raghuvanshi were associated with the Lucknow Super Giants. Additionally, players from MP were also seen representing the Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, and Delhi Capitals.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Rajat Patidar says: "Playing in MP Is Always Special.
How to Watch the Matches
Cricket enthusiasts can book tickets for the matches via the 'District App,' while the tournament will be broadcast live on Jio Hotstar.
To do so, viewers must first visit the MPL website; this will directly open the ticket booking window. Ticket prices range from ₹100 to ₹250.
