TNPL 2023 set to begin on June 12
The eagerly anticipated seventh edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League is set to commence at the prestigious Sri Ramakrishna College ground, where joint-defending champions Lyca Kovai Kings (shared with Chepauk Super Gillies) will clash with iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans on Monday.
Since its inception in 2016, this franchise-based T20 tournament has experienced remarkable growth and has played a pivotal role in elevating Tamil Nadu’s prowess in white-ball cricket. The tournament has served as a stepping stone for talented players, propelling them to higher levels of the game and securing lucrative contracts in the illustrious Indian Premier League (IPL). Also Read : Amanda Nunes beats Irene Aldana to retain bantamweight title at UFC 289
Notable stars like T. Natarajan, Varun Chakravarthy, and M. Shahrukh Khan have all benefitted from their impressive performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League.
One player who captured the cricketing world’s attention is the sensational B. Sai Sudharsan. His scintillating 96-run knock in the IPL final for the Gujarat Titans against the Chennai Super Kings showcased his exceptional talent, which was first recognized during his impressive displays in the 2021 edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League.
The upcoming season is brimming with excitement, as significant changes have been introduced to propel the tournament into its next phase of growth. Earlier this year, the league bid farewell to the draft system that had been utilized for the first six years and conducted its inaugural auction to select players.
Each team had a substantial purse of Rs 70 lakh at their disposal, with Sai Sudharsan commanding the highest bid of Rs 21.60 lakhs from Lyca Kovai Kings, surpassing even his IPL salary of Rs 20 lakhs with the Titans.
This year, the Tamil Nadu Premier League will introduce the Decision Review System (DRS), exclusively for dismissals, marking the first-ever usage of this technology in the tournament. Additionally, the Impact Player rule, which debuted in this year’s IPL, will also be implemented. B. Indrajith, a player from the Dindigul Dragons, expressed his excitement about these innovations, stating, “The inclusion of DRS and the Impact Player rule has generated a tremendous buzz this year.
The auction system has also resulted in more balanced teams, eliminating the dominance of certain squads that was prevalent during the draft era.”
The stage is set for an enthralling season of cricket in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where talented players will showcase their skills, teams will battle fiercely, and fans will be treated to exhilarating contests. The tournament continues to serve as a breeding ground for emerging talent and a platform for the state’s cricketing prowess to shine brightly.
TNPL schedule
League: At Coimbatore: June 12-16; At Dindigul: June 18-22; At Salem: June 24-29; At Tirunelveli: July 1-5.
Playoffs: At Salem: Qualifier 1 (July 7) & Eliminator (July 8); At Tirunelveli: Qualifier 2 (July 10) & Final (July 12).
