Dubai’s answer to IPL...Kerala Premier League Dubai

UAE cricket enthusiasts can soon enjoy nail-biting games here. KPL Dubai, the Kerala Premier League, has announded cricket tournament from January 20, 2012 until February 24.

The league involves 16 teams that are currently up for grabs among corporate houses or crickets lovers. The league has no direct or indirect relation with the Indian Premier League (IPL), say organisers.

Among the celebrities roped in as KPL Dubai's Brand Ambassadors are national team player Shreeshant, South Indian action superstar Bharat Suresh Gopi and budding actress Bhama. 

Organisers Citifortune International Marketing, an event management company, is confident that wih Suresh Gopi being its director the league will surely attract South Indian cricket enthusiasts to the matches.

Prize money

The organisers claim that KPL Dubai will be giving away the highest prize money ever offered in domestic cricket circuit – Dh60,000 to the winning team followed by Dh30,000 for the runner-up team. And Dh10,000 each for the third and fourth position respectively.

Thirty Man of the Match awards carry Dh500 cash prize; while MAn of the Series; Best all-rounder; Best Bowler; Best Batsman; Best Wicket-Keeper and Best Fielder will get Dh3,000 each.

Gopi said: "KPL Dubai is the beginning of a new cricketing chapter in the UAE and will soon spread its wings to other GCC countries and make the T20 format more popular with expatriates."

Teams

The sixteen teams that will participate in KPL Dubai are Trivandrum Royals, Pathanamthitta Rajas, Kottayam Crusaders, Kochi Diwans, Harvestors Palakkad, Calicut Zamorins, Wayanad Highlanders, Sultans Malabar, Kollam Kernals, Aleppy Ripples, Idukki Spices, Thrissur Dynamites, Malappuram Knights, Kannur Veerans, Kasargodu Warriors and Travancore Maharajash.

Announcing the launch of the KPL Dubai 2012, Gopi said 16 teams will 14 districts of Kerala. It will also have 2 Zonal Teams - Malabar and Travancore - with each team consisting of a minimum of three players from Kerala in the playing XI and remaining from the local talents, with one player under the age of 22 and a maximum two international players with prior approval from the Dubai Cricket Council.

Citifortune International Marketing will utilise the International Cricket Council and Dubai Cricket Council resources to conduct the matches.

“The combination of teams are formed in such a way as to attract more players and crowd into the stadium during the cricket matches and help development of cricket in the region,” said Sanu Mathew, Director, KPL Dubai.

CTK Nasir, Director, KPL Dubai said that the 16 teams are up for sale and four teams representing four districts of Kerala – Aleppey, Calicut, Wayanad and Kannur, are already purchased by the Yogi Group, Consolidate Shipping (CSS), Wings Group and Westar Shipping.

According to the team managers, there will be 24 matches (6x4) among various groups and super eight quarter final of 4 matches, followed by two semi-finals and the final.

The Management Team of KPL Dubai consists of Paul T Joseph, Managing Director, AAA Middle East; Roy George, Director, Mount Park General Trading,;Jathinder Menon, General Manager, Cadrex International;  Anand Kumar, Director, Stratal General Trading; Thomas Philiph, Director, G-Tech and Sanu Mathew.

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