Berhampur: Cricket fever has gripped the city as fans here continue to throng the ground for the inaugural Ganjam Premier League that began on May 1.

"The league is being organised along the lines of the Indian Premier League and continue till May 13," said Purna Chandra Nayak, secretary of Rameswar Sporting Club, which is organising the event for youngsters in the city.

Though the recent squalls was a cause for concern, the fans have alleviated those fears.

"In a short time, T20 has become the most popular format, particularly in India, where huge crowds attend matches in the Indian Premier League and millions more watch on television. That is why we introduced this format to give exposure to our players," said Nayak

Six teams - the Khallikote Wizards, Aska 9 Star Challengers, Berhampur Superkings, Berhampur Strikers, Friends Cricketers and the Berhampur Blasters - are taking part in the tournament.

Ganjam Premier League chairman and chairman of the Berhampur Development Authority Subash Moharana said T20 cricket revolutionised the game when it was first introduced in 2003 with several rule changes that put a premium on big hitting and scoring runs, and managed to gain a new audience.