Success of Kerala Cricket League

The second edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), organised by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), has concluded successfully. Kochi Blue Tigers lifted the title by defeating defending champions Kollam Sailors in the final. From the beginning of the tournament, Kochi showed consistent performance, and the trophy rightly went to them. Although more than half of the team’s auction budget was spent on Sanju Samson, the coaches led by Raiphi Vincent Gomez managed to build a balanced squad with the remaining funds. Sanju also set an example by distributing his earnings among his teammates as a reward.

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. The launch of the IPL in 2008 completely changed the face of the game, providing a bigger stage for new talents compared to other domestic tournaments. Inspired by the IPL model, many states started their own leagues, giving opportunities to budding players. Though late, KCA too joined this path and launched KCL last year. The first season even opened the doors of the IPL for Vignesh Puthur, who later played for the Mumbai Indians.

For KCA, organising a league with six teams was not at all a challenge. The key point is that KCA succeeded in making KCL a sensation among youngsters by promoting it in a way that attracted national attention, arranging live telecasts through visual media, and offering free entry to stadiums to draw more spectators. Sanju Samson’s presence was a major factor in bringing national attention to the league. Playing for Kochi Blue Tigers, Sanju scored one century and three half-centuries in six matches, thrilling the fans. At the same time, KCL also provided a platform for several fresh talents to shine.

Players like Krishnaprasad (top run-scorer), Akhil Scaria (highest wicket-taker), Ahmed Imran, Saly Samson, Vinoop Manoharan, Vipul Shakti, Alfie Francis, Jobin Joby, Nikhil Thottath, Jerin P.S., Akhil K.G., Ajeesh, Muhammed Aashiq, Krishnadevan, Manu Krishnan, and Abhishek J. Nair all got a golden opportunity to showcase their skills. Many of them have already caught the attention of IPL talent scouts. Adding to the excitement, KCA announced that they will soon launch a women’s KCL, opening the door for hundreds of women cricketers to display their talent. Congratulations go to the winning team, the other participating teams, and the KCA officials for successfully organising the tournament.