New Delhi: As the buzz of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fades, with the Indian Premier League still a few days away, Indore is set to host a mini-cricket spectacle. The city will witness the first-ever Sanatan Premier League, under the spiritual guidance of Devkinandan Thakur, at the Nehru Stadium from 12 to 15 March.
The SPL National T10 tournament is organised by the Sanatan Cricket Club LLP, founded by Vijay Sharma, Dev Joshi, and Anand Mishra.
“We hope to give players who usually play in villages and on the roads a chance to experience what an international-level league might be like. It is designed as a spectacle comparable to the IPL,” said SPL spokesperson Sumendra Tiwari.
He explained that one of the key objectives of Thakur’s in launching the league is to steer underprivileged children and youngsters away from negative influences.
“These children, who might otherwise drift towards drugs or other harmful activities, will now have an opportunity to channel their energy into something positive. This tournament can help them find direction and work towards a better life,” Tiwari said.
He is hopeful that even if only five players from the tournament go ahead and play in IPL or for India, their goal would be met.
The tournament will feature eight teams with around 120 players from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Gujarat. The organisers claim that most of the participants come from underprivileged backgrounds.
Former Indian cricketers like Suresh Raina, Umesh Yadav, Piyush Chawla and Mohit Sharma will serve as mentors to the teams.
And for every run scored in the SPL, Rs 500 will be set aside and donated to acid attack survivors.
Thakur’s team has prepared a list of acid attack victims from across the country to whom the money will be given. They aim to transfer the money to individuals and not organisations.
“Thakur wanted to do something for the acid attack victims for a long time. He was disturbed by their stories. With the Sanatan Premier League, he saw an opportunity to help these women,” Tiwari added.
Special features of the SPL
The winning team will receive Rs 31 lakh, while the runners-up will take home Rs 15 lakh. In addition, every player, regardless of whether he plays one match or the entire tournament, will receive Rs 11,000.
The Man of the Match will be awarded Rs 21,000 along with shoes worth Rs 16,000 from DNINE Shoes, the brand owned by Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar. Players from the championship-winning team will also receive an additional Rs 21,000 each alongside the top prize.
The Man of the Series will be awarded a car, while the Orange Cap and Purple Cap winners will receive a motorcycle each.
Madan Lal, who was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad, will serve as the league commissioner, while former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma will be the commentator.
Organisers also said that the tournament trophy will tour pilgrimage sites across India after the event. Indore was chosen as the host city because of its cultural significance and its proximity to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)